Drs. Chan KS and David Hui, Chairman of ARS Organizing Committee
Having recovered from the impact of the recent epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), our Autumn Respiratory Seminar this year was held successfully on 9th November 2003 with 400 registrants including our overseas guest speaker Dr. Brack Hattler, a world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon from the United States. The scientific programme was heralded by an important session on the infection control for SARS, in which Dr. Sarah Liao from the Environment, Transport and Works Bureau of the Government of Hong Kong SAR highlighted the salient environmental factors leading to the SARS epidemic in Hong Kong. As an alternative to mechanical ventilation, Dr. Hattler conveyed a new perspective on the use of extra-corporeal membrane oxygenator and possibly an “artificial lung” (Hattler’s catheter) for patients with respiratory failure like many of those with SARS. Following this, the session on thoracic surgery (interventional bronchoscopy and surgical treatment of emphysema) was held concurrently with a workshop on home non-invasive ventilation and infection control in respiratory therapy.
The climax of this year’s seminar occurred undoubtedly at the session on the update of GOLD guidelines in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Following the summary of the major changes in the 2003 GOLD guidelines compared with previous version, a panel of local expert pulmonologists led an open discussion on the pros and cons of the guidelines, with the main focus on symptom or lung function index-based approaches in COPD management. Last but not least, there was a comprehensive presentation on the local epidemiology of tuberculosis and its management especially in the elderly.
