·	Meeting Highlights
·	Program At A Glance
·	Special Lectures
·	CME: Claim Credit the Easy Way
·	Residents & Young Neurosurgeons
·	Nurse & Physician Assistants
·	Award Winners
·	Resource Center
·	Technology Pavillion Sessions
·	Exhibits
·	Japanese American Freindship Symposium
·	Section Activities
·	Pain Section Satellite Symposium

Scientific Program

The 2006 Scientific Program Committee, underthe leadership of Dr. Berger, has developed an outstanding program which will include 38 practical clinics, 77 breakfast seminars, 136 oral paper presentations and over 500 poster presentations.

Mitchel S. Berger MD, FACS Scientific Program Chair

If you took advantage of the opportunity to register early for the meeting, be sure to visit the Annual Meeting Registration section of www.AANS.org and reference your PIN to register for practical clinics, breakfast seminars and all other ticketed events today. Many courses sell out early, so don’t miss your opportunity to register for the most popular courses.

Cushing Orator
	George F. Will Cushing Orator

New This Year

Claim CME Credit the Easy Way
The Self Report CME Tracking Form will be available online for completion and submission. To view a sample of the form, visit the AANS Web site at www.AANS.org, and select "annual meetings." The link to the form is available.

Breakfast Seminars
This year, 77 breakfast seminars on various topics and issues will be presented during the Annual Meeting. Once again, the Thursday breakfast seminars will feature experts discussing challenging cases in the areas of pediatrics, cerebrovascular, lumbar spine, and cervico-thoracic spine. Refer to pages 22–71 for the description and learning objectives of each seminar to match your interests with the appropriate session.

New Topics

• Management of Spinal Column Tumors
  
  
• History of Spine
  
  
• Management of Complex Spinal Cord Anomalies
  
  
• Complications and Outcomes: Assessment of Lumbar Interbody Fusion
  
  
• Building a Comprehensive Spine Center
  
  
• Masters of Spinal Surgery: My Most Challenging Cases
  
  
• Management of Spinal Access TraumaTopics Back by Popular Demand
  
  
• Coil vs. Clip for Intracranial Aneurysms
  
  
• Complications and Complex Spinal Surgery: Lessons Learned
  
  
• Artificial Lumbar Disc
  
  
• Minimally Invasive Spinal Neurosurgery: State-of-the-Art

Topics Back by Popular Demand

• Coil vs. Clip for Intracranial Aneurysms
  
  
• Complications and Complex Spinal Surgery: Lessons Learned
  
  
• Artificial Lumbar Disc
  
  
• Minimally Invasive Spinal Neurosurgery: State-of-the-Art

Breakfast Seminar Fees and CME
All breakfast seminar registrants will receive a ticket for a continental breakfast buffet before each morning’s program. Admittance to each breakfast seminar is $75. Attendees will receive 2 hours of Category 1 CME credit for each breakfast seminar attended.

If you registered early for the meeting, be sure to visit the Annual Meeting Registration section of www.AANS.org and reference your PIN to register for breakfast seminars and practical clinics today. Many sessions sell out early; act fast.

Practical Clinics

The practical clinics offered on Saturday and Sunday are not to be missed. A total of 38 clinics of various topics offer hands-on interaction with faculty and state-of-the-art equipment, along with innovative lectures by neurosurgical experts. Each clinic is designed to expand the practicing neurosurgeon’s expertise on a particular topic. The faculty members for the practical clinics are some of the best in the neurosurgical community.

AANS is pleased to once again be offering the following clinics complimentary to registered residents and fellows:

• Peripheral Nerve Injuries, Entrapments and Tumors: Examination and Evaluation
• Combined Approaches to Cerebrovascular Disease
• A Multimedia Experience in Surgical Anatomy
• Basics of Spinal Stabalization, Fusion, and Instrumentation

New Clinics

• Strategies for Building Partnerships with Hospital Leadership
• Neurosurgery in the Real World
• Lumbar Disc

Clinics Back by Popular Demand

• Technical Management of Intracranial Aneurysms: Site Specific Surgical Anatomy, Operation Intervention and Complication Management
• Artificial Cervical Disc Technology
• Practical and Technical Aspects of Transsphenoidal Surgery

Refer to the Practical Clinics section for a complete listing of all the clinics available. Please note that early registration is encouraged since class size is limited for most clinics to provide a quality experience for each attendee.

Practical Clinic CME
Attendees will receive 4 hours of Category 1 CME credit for all eligible half-day clinics and 8 hours of Category 1 CME credit for all eligible full-day clinics. Clinic fees vary, so please check the specific course listing.

Annual Meeting Mission

The main goals of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons’ Annual Meeting are to serve as a primary source of continuing medical education, tailored specifically to our specialty; to advance neuroscience research; and to promote a climate conducive to excellence in clinical practice. The Annual Meeting Committee is dedicated to meeting these goals. The AANS Annual Meeting is the principal mechanism for the transfer of scientific, technical,and intellectual information to the neurosurgical community. Feedback obtained from attendee evaluation forms is one important factor in determining the program content of this meeting. Special recognition is extended to the individuals of the 2006 Annual Meeting Committee and the committees they represent for their perseverance and commitment to making the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons a success.

Program Agendas and Faculty

As we continue to improve the quality of your educational experiences, agendas are subject to change and the AANS may also substitute faculty with comparable expertise.

Disclosures

Before the program, all faculty will disclose the existence of any financial interest and/or other relationship they or their significant other may have with the manufacturer(s) of any commercial product(s) to be discussed during their presentation. Faculty, program and sponsor disclosures will be published in the Annual Meeting Program Guide and Annual Scientific Program CD, which will be distributed to all registrants at the meeting.

Poster Session

Timothy B. Mapstone, MD 2006 Poster Chair

Dr. Mapstone and the Scientific Program Committee have selected more than 500 abstract submissions for poster presentation at the 2006 Annual Meeting. The posters will be on display in Halls A, B and C of the Moscone South Convention Center. You will have an opportunity to view posters during exhibit hours, Monday–Tuesday, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM and on Wednesday from 9:00 AM– 3:30 PM. Ten of the top posters will be presented electronically on large screens in the registration and plenary session foyer area. The top three traditional posters in each category, as judged by the Annual Meeting Scientific Program Committee, will be identified with special ribbons and will be published following the meeting. During the 2006 Annual Meeting, there will be three dedicated Poster Viewing Sessions that will allow one-on-one interaction with the authors. The posters have been divided by subject area and the sessions will be held at the following times:

Poster Viewing Sessions
Monday, 2:00–2:45 PM Stereotactic and Functional Tumor Pain	Tuesday, 2:00–2:45 PM Cerebrovascular Neurotrauma and Critical      Care General Interest History	Wednesday, 2:00–2:45 PM Spine and Peripheral      Nerves Pediatrics

Social Program

Lynn and Fremont P. Wirth

Nicholas and Sue Ellen Barbaro

Organized under the leadership of Dr. and Mrs. Fremont P. Wirth and Dr. and Mrs. Nicholas M. Barbaro, the 2006 Planning Committee and Annual Meeting Chair, James T. Rutka, have planned creative, educational and fun programs for members and their spouses. A diverse selection of tours and evening activities highlight what the San Francisco area has to offer. Mingle with friends and colleagues on Sunday evening during the Opening Reception at the San Francisco Marriott. On Monday evening, enjoy a baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets at the new SBC Park. On Tuesday evening come see the renowned San Francisco Ballet. Of course, San Francisco prides itself as one of the top dining areas of the world, so enjoy several of the exceptional restaurants the city has to offer.

Pain Section

The AANS/CNS Section on Pain will host their meeting one day prior to AANS’ meeting. Neurosurgical Pain Management: Building and Managing a Successful Pain Practice will be held in Moscone South Convention Center on Friday, April 21.

Council of State Neurosurgical Societies (CSNS)

The semi-annual meeting of the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies (CSNS) will be held on Friday and Saturday, April 21 and 22 at the San Francisco Marriott Hotel.

Fernando G. Diaz, MD, PhD
Chair

Gary Bloomgarden, MD
Vice Chair

Frederick Boop, MD, FACS
Past Chair

Thomas Rigsby, MD
Recording Secretary

Mick Perez-Cruet, MD
Corresponding Secretary

William E. Bingaman Jr., MD
Treasurer

Japanese American Friendship Symposium

Join the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Japanese Neurosurgical Society (JNS) for the Japanese American Friendship Symposium Thursday, April 27. Scientific session topics will be presented by authors from Japan, followed by brief discussions by two neurosurgeons from North America. A wine and cheese reception will be held at 5:00 PM.

Disclaimer

The material presented at the 74th Annual Meeting has been made available by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons for educational purposes only. The material is not intended to represent the only, nor necessarily the best, method or procedure appropriate for the medical situations discussed, but rather it is intended to present an approach, view, statement, or opinion of the faculty, which may be helpful to others who face similar situations.

Neither the content (whether written or oral) of any course, seminar or other presentation in the program, nor the use of a specific product in conjunction therewith, nor the exhibition of any materials by any parties coincident with the program, should be construed as indicating endorsement or approval of the views presented, the products used, or the material exhibited by the AANS, or by its committees, commissions, or affiliates.

The AANS disclaims any and all liability for injury or damages resulting to any individual attending the Annual Meeting, and for all claims which may arise out of the use of the techniques demonstrated therein by such individuals, whether these claims shall be asserted by physicians or any other person.