LF04 · LASER FLORENCE 2004 - A window on the Laser Medicine World - MEDICINE AND SURGERY, BIOLOGY, VETERINARY, OPTICS, PHYSICS, ENGINEERING

Final Activity Report Summary - LF04 (Laser Florence 2004 - A window on the Laser Medicine World - Medicine and surgery, biology, veterinary, optics, physics, engineering)

Laser Florence 2004 presents a long tradition action in the field of laser medicine. Every year specialists studying possibilities in the use of lasers - in experimental as well as in clinical medicine - met in Florence and many personal friendships between them were developed. On the whole 304 participants from 42 countries took part in the conference. 120 young specialists took part in conference, 60 came from within the Marie Curie Programme. The conference was supported by the presence of important Italian and foreign institutions and municipal celebrities, such as the USA Consul in Florence, the Vice-President of the Honorary Consuls in Italy, the President of the Florence Medical Association, the Mayor of Florence. The conference was divided in 14 sections: laser safety; PDD/PDT; basic research; laser and light biomodulation; conventional and laser methods comparisons and controversies; orthopaedics; laser diabetology; phlebology and vascular lesions; laser, light and skin; laser rehabilitation and sport medicine; urology; ophthalmology; dentistry; resurfacing and rejuvenation. 96 lectures were reported on, and 11 posters demonstrated. The programme was supplemented with 2 workshops. It was sometimes difficult to make decisions on what would be the most interesting, because the programme had 3 parallel sections. Some of the themes were quite new! For instance the study on the mechanism of light and therapeutic laser action on tissue, or the possibility of using lasers in the therapy of diabetes mellitus, and the contribution of therapeutic laser in the healing of traumatogenic lesions of spinal cord and others. The international symposium was supplemented with 11 educational courses for young specialists. They could in this manner acquire a complete information in given problems and meet with prominent world-known specialists. A session of the committee I.A.L.M.S. (Executive Committee Assembly) was also part of this special programme. Participants of the session became acquainted with the economic situation of the Academy and its projects, and above all, in the sphere of young specialist's education. The Academy has at present 264 members and five special cooperative societies from Rumania, Israel, Lithuania, Australia and Czech Republic. The special programme was supplemented by the opulent social programme. The opening took place in the fascinating Salone dei Cinquecento of Palazzo Vecchio, which was built in the years 1299 - 1314 as a residence of a City Corporation, which exists till today. The President of the Health Commission of the Common of Florence, madam S. Agostini, MD, gripped all participants with her excellent speech during the ceremonial opening. The summit of the Congress was the Gala evening in Palazzo Budini-Gattai. The authors of the best lectures and posters as well as those who had achieved merit in the development of laser therapy, were here rewarded. The following authors were rewarded in particular categories: Michelle Copeland, MD: Radiofrequency energy as non-surgical alternative for facial rejuvenation. (Mount Sinai Hospital, New York - USA). Ali Gur et Al, MD, PhD. Comparison of efficacious of low power laser and physiotherapy in the management of painful knee osteoarthritis: a single-blind, randomised and placebo controlled trial. (Medical Faculty of Dicle University, Diyarbakirl, Turkey). M. Matsumoto et Al., Eng: Development of brain tumour demarcation technique using two-colour laser-induced fluorescence. (Yamagouchi University ,Tokiwachi, Japan). Kevin Moghissi,MD, PhD Photodiagnosis (PDD) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) in oncology with particular reference to lung cancer. (Cardio-thoracic Surg,Clin., Yorkshire Laser Center, London, Great Britain). S.V.L.G. Naidu et Al, MD The Use Of Low Output Laser Therapy To Accelerate Healing Of Diabetic Foot Ulcers. A Randomized Prospective Controlled Trial (Dept. of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Seremban General Hospital, Seremban, Malaysia). Lenka Veverkova et Al, MD Morphological changes in rabbit's vein following laser therapy. (Ist. Dept. of Surgery, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic). Augustina.Vila Echague et Al, MD. Multiple apocrine hidrocystoma of the face treated with smoothbean laser. (Wellman Lab. of Photomedicine- MGH, Boston - USA). The poster from Czech Republic was evaluated as the best: Helena Jelinkova, Tatiana Dostalova et Al, MD: Interaction of ER:YAG laser radiation with ureter tissue.( Czech Technical Univ. -Nuclear Sciences Phys.Eng., Prague, Czech Republic). These Authors could come back in Laser Florence the next year free of the charge. Special awards for their continuous high level scientific contribution were given to: Penny Smalley, TN, TCI Chicago, USA. Joe Niamtu, MD, Maxillofacial and Cosmetic Facial Surgery, Richmond, USA. John Chiu, MD, California Center for Minimally Invasive Surg., Thousand Oaks, USA. Giuseppe Tam, MD, Udine, Italy. Masashi Marumo. MD, Marumo Clinic, Osaka, Japan.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union