From November 12-14, the UK-based Difficult Airway Society (DAS) and the US-based Society for Airway Management (SAM) combined their annual meetings into the first World Airway Management Meeting (WAMM). Held in Dublin, this international event welcomed nearly 1,500 delegates from around the world to represent a variety of countries.
New DAS Guidelines for Difficult Intubation released
Notable highlights of WAMM 2015 included an update to the DAS Guidelines for Difficult Intubation. Since 2004, these guidelines have been in place to help clinicians make decisions related to airway management.
LMA inventor recognized
The conference also presented an award to Dr. Archie Brain for his pioneering work developing laryngeal mask airway (LMA) devices. Learn more about Dr. Brain and the LMA here.
Airway inventors presented at Cook Medical booth
Another highlight of WAMM 2015 were the “Meet the Inventor” presentations conducted at the Cook Medical booth. For more than 50 years, Cook has worked closely with physicians to develop new products. WAMM 2015 presented the opportunity to highlight two physicians who collaborated with Cook in the development of two airway management products: Professor Peter Charters, inventor of the Aintree Intubation Catheter, and Professor Giulio Frova, inventor of the Frova Intubating Introducer.
Prof. Charters and Prof. Frova each led “Meet the Inventor” sessions during the conference. They both discussed airway management procedures and products in depth with WAMM 2015 attendees. Their presentations included a mannequin demonstration, slides, and a Q&A session.
WAMM 2015 truly was a unique event, the first time the DAS and SAM have come together in their 20-year histories. Each organization will resume hosting separate conferences in 2016: SAM 2016 is scheduled for September 15-18 in Atlanta, GA, and the DAS Annual Scientific Meeting will take place November 16-18 in Torquay, England.
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Read on to learn more about Professor Giulio Frova and Professor Peter Charters.
Professor Giulio Frova worked as an anesthesiologist and university professor in Italy for more than 40 years. He retired in 2005 but continues to teach difficult airway management courses and serve as a consultant. In addition to developing the Frova Intubating Introducer with Cook Medical, Prof. Frova has developed several other exchange catheters and products for rotational percutaneous tracheostomy and cricothyrotomy. In 2013, he was awarded the European Airway Management Society lifetime achievement recognition, the Macewen-Kirstein Award.
Professor Peter Charters has worked in anesthesiology and intensive care since 1982 and is a member of the Difficult Airway Society. He currently conducts anesthesia courses at Aintree and Warrington hospitals in England and the College of Anaesthetists in Ireland and was awarded the Dudley Buxton Medal for “meritorious work in anaesthesia or in a science contributing to the progress of anaesthesia” by the Royal College of Anaesthetists.
Dr. Archie Brain is not a paid consultant of Cook Medical.
Professor Peter Charters receives royalties from Cook Medical.
Professor Giulio Frova has a financial relationship with Cook Medical.
Refer to the Aintree Intubation Catheter product page for the complete Instructions for Use.
Refer to the Frova Intubating Introducer product page for the complete Instructions for Use.