14th Asian and Oceanic Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine

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Dear Colleagues and Friends,

It has been 28 years since the founding of the Asian Oceanic Society of Regional Anaesthesia (AOSRA) in 1989 during the 6th Asean Congress of Anesthesiologists in Manila. Another 22 years have passed since the Philippines hosted the 3rd Biennial Congress of AOSRA in 1995. The Congress returns to Manila in October this year, and we are ready to welcome you all back.

Regional anesthesia has come a long way from the time Erythroxylon coca was named by Western botanists in the 16th century during the conquest of the Incas by Spain. It took another 200 years before Carl Koller published his paper on the anesthetic use of cocaine.

Until a few years back, the landmark technique and the elicitation of paresthesia in the conduct of regional anesthesia was the norm. Soon the use of nerve stimulation in combination with landmarks became the safer technique. Over the past few years, the use of ultrasound unblinded the search for the illusive nerve.

No doubt regional anesthesia has proven itself to be advantageous in many fronts, from simple relief of pain, to prevention of perioperative side effects and chronification, and now the abeyance of cancer recurrence through a variety of possible mechanisms.

While it is ideal, whenever possible, for everyone to use the state of the art techniques in the administration of regional anesthesia, this is not always possible in many parts of the world. The administration of regional anesthesia must be available to all. Therefore, as an organization, let us not lose sight of those among us who cannot keep in step with the state of the art practice of regional anesthesia. Rather, let us walk together and revisit the old respectable techniques and see how we can help each other reach the same end more

safely.

On behalf of the Organizing Committee of the 14th Asian and Oceanic Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Manila

 

MERLE F. DELA CRUZ-ODI MD, MBA-H

Retired Professor of Anesthesiology