welcome

Welcome from the Program Chair

By Yuan-Chi Lin, MD, MPH
Program Chair

Welcome to the Society for Pediatric Pain Medicine Third Annual Meeting. This meeting embraces the current emerging scientific research and presents the up-to-date clinical investigations in pediatric pain medicine. The conference features Mechanisms in Acute Pain, Pediatric Regional Anesthesia, Integrative Medicine in Pediatric Pain, and Enhancing Skills in Chronic Pediatric Pain Management.

We are very fortunate to invite nationally and internationally distinguished faculty to participate in this exceptional event.  Dr. Kanwaljeet J. S. (“Sunny”) Anand, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Critical Care at Stanford University School of Medicine will address “Neonatal Pain.” Dr. Tony L. Yaksh, Professor of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, University California San Diego will lecture on “Biology of Acute and Persistent Inflammatory Pain States.”

The 2016 meeting emphasizes the considerations for clinical application and safety issues related to pediatric regional anesthesia. Dr. Sophie Pestieau, Children’s National Health System, Washington, D.C., will present “Coagulopathis in Pediatric Regional Anesthesia.” Dr. Alan Bielsky, Director of Regional Anesthesia, Children's Hospital Colorado and Assistant Professor, University of Colorado, will discuss his clinical experience with “Regional Anesthesia in Pediatric Trauma.” Dr. Arjunan Ganesh, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, will update the audience on “Safety in Pediatric Regional Anesthesia.”

Back by popular demand, we will feature a pro and con debate. The theme of this section is “Usage of Clonidine in Pediatric Pain Medicine.” This lively discussion will feature Dr. Stephen Hays, Associate Professor of Anesthesia and Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Dr. Karen Boretsky, Associate in Perioperative Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital; Harvard Medical School. 
Integrative Medicine plays a major role in pediatric pain management. Dr. Kathleen Lemanek, Pediatric Psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the Ohio State University College of Medicine will discuss “Meditation and Cognitive Behavioral Therapies”; Dr. Samuel Rodriguez, artist and Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford will address “Arts in Healing”; and Dr. Brenda Golianu, Associate Professor at Stanford, will lecture “A Holistic Approach to Pediatric Pain Management.”

We need to enhance our knowledge and skill in delivering care for pediatric patients with chronic pain. Dr. Tony L. Yaksh, a world expert in developing our contemporary understanding in basic science of chronic pain, will guide us through the current knowledge in “Neuropathic Pain.” Dr. Nancy L. Glass, Director of Chronic and Palliative Pain Service at Texas Children's Hospital; Professor of Pediatrics and Anesthesiology at Baylor College of Medicine will discuss an extremely important aspect of holistic care for our patients, “Optimizing the Patient-Doctor Relationship in Pediatric Pain Practice.”

In addition to eight excellent Problem Based Learning Discussions, the 2016 SPPM Annual Meeting will feature a poster discussion for the first time.  Plenty of special workshops will be available which include “Creating the Ideal Pediatric Pain Management Service”; “Building a Wellness Paradigm of Health”; “Acupuncture for Pediatric Peri-operative Anesthesia and Pain Management Workshop”; and “Advanced Ultrasound Guided Regional Anesthesia.”

The SPPM Education Committee has been working tirelessly to organize this wonderful educational program. Bring your questions, comments and suggestions.  Be ready to engage and contribute.

We hope you enjoy the conference.