In This Issue:
- Message from the President
- Message from the Secretary Treasurer
- Message from the Newsletter Editor
- Our Honorary Presidents IV: Joseph C. Maroon, MD
- Message of Dr. Srour
- Minutes of the Philadelphia Reunion
- X-Plain Neurosurgery
- Letters to the Editor
- The Brazilian Experience
- WALN Acknowledges
- The Pan Arab Neurosurgical Society
- Members News


President Message: Past, Present and the Future

To All WALN Members:

The Board Members of the WALN, along with every member I have talked with, are proud and thrilled with the progress made so far. There is more to be done and the road is not short. Over the last few years, we have achieved several goals but many more are still to be met. During our last business dinner in Philadelphia, we discussed several issues that we are diligently working on. We did distribute a copy of our directory and I do apologize for any errors there may be. This is partly due to the wrong information we have received but we will work hard to correct the errors. Our new directory will be updated and will be accurate. Our Newsletter keeps growing and we would like to invite everyone to put faith into it by sharing their thoughts and ideas. We would also like to invite people to tell us about them so we can share this with everyone in the Newsletter.

I received lately, a letter from Dr. Fuad Haddad from Beirut, with a list of names of several potential members who we could add to our society. When I was in Brazil in April, I met several people, some in training, who are also potential members. Here in North America we have contacted some people who have connections with our mother home who could also be potential members. We will discuss those members in the next meeting in Seattle and we will open an invitation for them to join our society. The sense of expansion is present. We would still like to work on the Associate membership and involve our friends in Neurology on a wider scale with our society. I did receive several letters from friends who are not even neurologists or neurosurgeons who admire what has been done and would like to share some of the ideas and concepts we have built and apply them to their fields. I think it is fantastic to know that others want to emulate WALN. In addition, we have been contacted by the Pan-Arab Neurosurgical Society requesting some of our members to serve on their educational boards. I have suggested some names to Dr. Bejjani and Dr. Muakkassa and we would like to finalize this as soon as possible.

So work is done as we progress, work has been done in the past, and there are plans for the future. One of the biggest problems that remains is establishing a tax exempt status so that we can proceed with our other projects. I have spent time in several meetings with attorneys discussing this and there are some problems that we are trying to resolve to overcome this. I hope that the solution will be coming soon. We would like to expand our newsletter and circulation. I have discussed this with our current editor. I am hoping that after he moves to Pittsburgh for his new job at Allegheny Genral Hospital, that we can work more closely to expand the Newsletter and make it more popular in a way that it could be used for scientific purposes. In addition to that, we are executing our plans for the June, 1999 meeting in Lebanon. I have contacted Dr. Comair to discuss local arrangements and hopefully by the time we are in Seattle we will at least have a preliminary program. By the same token, I did receive a letter from Dr. Latuf in Brazil, and as you will see in my other message that describes the Brazilian trip, I have noticed a very sincere request from the Brazilian contingency for us to possibly hold another meeting in Brazil, in the year to follow. I think we should pursue this and we will also discuss this during the Seattle meeting.

There is only one way in which we can keep this organization strong. The only way I can see is by every member chipping in and lending a helping hand in whatever he/she would like to do to help us make the society stronger. Everyone is our ambassador, whatever he is or where he works, and we hope to convey our message to the people they know in one way or another. By sending a small article to the Newsletter, by talking to people, by helping and planning the conference for next year, or any other way anyone sees fit is most welcome so as to keep the society as strong as possible and help us extend our wings as far as possible so we can fly as high as we can. I am extending my hand out to everyone who is willing to help. I did receive a very nice E-Mail from Dr. Salibi in Saudi Arabia offering his help and that was a very nice gesture. We have work for everyone. We are going to request people to volunteer and I would hope no one would feel that we are infringing on them when we do this. We are asking this because we feel it will be much more effective for the society and for everyone involved if all the colleagues and brothers chip in hand in hand to help in strengthening our society and improving our ties with each other. I would hope to see as many of you in Seattle as possible and I would also hope to see everyone in Lebanon next year so we can produce an even better the meeting than the previous one.

Respectfully yours,

MOKBEL K. CHEDID, M.D.
Section Chief of Neurosurgery
Genesys Health System
President of WALN


Message of the Secretary Treasurer

Dear WALN members

Hello everyone. I hope that since our last gathering , you have been enjoying good health, good lives and good work. It is time for the September Newsletter just before our Congress of Neurological Surgeons meeting again this year in Seattle, Washington.

The WALN membership continues to be enthusiastic about our future. Most importantly our committee in Lebanon and in the US are working to make the June 1999 meeting in Lebanon , another successful one. The hotel chosen is the Riviera; close to the beach for lots of fun. We hope to have you all involved there; whether scientifically or socially. Drs. Fady Charbel and Joseph Comair are in charge of the scientific section and the local arrangements in Lebanon.

As you can see, Dr. Bejjani continues to do an excellent job with the Newsletter by offering invaluable help to our WALN. The Directory of WALN is ready now. Please note in the Newsletter the new website address because it has changed after Dr. Bejjani’s move from Washington.

The Editor has received many letters from members which you will read in this issue. Your contributions continue to give us energy and encouragement.

In addition we are getting involved in the Pan-Arab Neurosurgical Society and we have chosen Drs. Maroon, Awad and myself to serve as panel reviewers for their Journal and as liaison. This interaction with the PANS will foster Middle East companionship in Neurosurgery with the U.S. and other parts of the world and help neurosurgical education or other neurosurgical needs in Lebanon and the Middle East.

As far as the dues are concerned, they were increased to $50. I would like to remind you again that this is not a lot to help defray the cost of publishing the Newsletter and improving it, and the Directory as well as establishing funds for other educational purposes. At present, our ending balance as of August 1998 is $3,698.67.

I hope to see you all in Lebanon, and those of you who can make it to our meeting in Seattle, Washington.

Sincerely,

Kamel F. Muakkassa, MD
WALN Secretary-Treasurer


Message of the Newsletter Editor

Dear Colleagues

It is with optimism that I write the editorial of our ninth issue, optimism fueled by the increasing involvement of our members. This is evident in our correspondence with the Editor section of this issue. The feedback on the Homecoming Congress that I received from WALN members in Lebanon and Europe, as well as from Arab colleagues that attended the Congress make me even more confident in the true purpose and reason for WALN to exist. They all wanted WALN and they wanted more from WALN: more meetings, courses, more involvement in neurosurgery in Lebanon and the Middle East. We were also invited to collaborate with the Pan Arab Neurosurgical Society. All this is shows the vital role that WALN can play in the development of neurosurgery in the Middle East. We have to be there. And we will be there.

The directory is out, and it was well received by most colleagues, although a few had some reservations and some criticism. Criticism is more than welcome, and it is criticism that will make us evolve. We are willing to do anything to improve our publications and suit our members needs. There were some typographical error and I apologize for that. There were also some old information: some of the biographical profiles were collected more than four years, and changes occur constantly. However, once a year we mail with the Newsletter a copy of the information we have on file on everybody, and if you notice any discrepancy, please let us know. I would like also to ask all members to send me a photograph (black and white preferably) to include in the year 2000 issue of the Directory.

This issue of the Newsletter marks a transition phase, since I am now at Allegheny General. The resources are somewhat different, and some adjustments will have to be made. Due to some technical difficulties, we will not have colors in this issue, as was the case since I assumed the editor’s position. But I hope to technically improve the next issue. As far as content, we have more participation from our readers, and this is an encouraging sign. The address of the website has changed. It is still a long address, but, once the tax-exempt status is established, we should have our own server address. We will be restructuring the website also.

I would like to take this occasion to welcome Dr. Youssef Comair as our Regional Representative in Lebanon and The Middle East. He probably holds the most sensitive position in WALN, since one of ur most cherished goals is to enhance neurosurgery in our Homeland. I want to thank also George Haddad for a job well done over the past four years.

Finally I would like to extend an invitation to all of you to help us make from the upcoming Second WALN Congress an even greater success than the first on. The organizing committee is led by Dr Comair for the local arrangements and Dr Charbel for the scientific program. The tentative dates are June 17-20 1999 and the proposed location is the Riveria Hotel in Beirut. The call for abstracts will be mailed soon as well as the registration forms. A course will precede the meeting, and the social program will be even more varied than in 1997. Our European representative, Dr Srour is planning a special excursion to Tyr . I hope you will be numerous, speakers and registrants, in our sunny land next year.

See you in Seattle my friends.

Ghassan K. Bejjani, MD
WALN Newsletter Editor


Our Honorary Presidents IV: Joseph C. Maroon, MD

Joseph Maroon was born on May 26, 1940, in Wheeling, West Virginia. His paternal grandparents had emigrated form Jal-El-Dib, in the northern suburbs of Beiurt, in 1910. They settled in Bridgeport, Ohio, close to Wheeling.

His father, Charles was born in 1920. He was a business man that started his professional career with a grocery store and expanded his activities later to real-estate and fuel distribution. His mother, Ana, of polish origin, came from a family of coal miners.

Dr Maroon’s carreer was an example of hard work, excellence and achievements. In high school he was first team All Ohio in football and baseball and was first in his class academically. This led to an athletic scolarship at Indiana University in Bloomington. He was the first to go to college from both of his parents family sides. Originally leaning towards law studies, he finally decided to go into Medicine. After obtaining his Anatomy and Physiology A.B. in 1961, he attended Indiana University Medical school between 1961 and 1965, where he was president of his medical school class. During his medical school years, he was fascinated by the brain and the nervous system, mainly the interactions between the emotional and rational brain.

He spent a year (1966-1967) at Georgetown University Hospital where he did his surgical internship. During that year he wrote two of his early manuscripts: “What interns think of internships”, and “A new approach to the selection and evaluation of internships”. Afterwards he did 4 years of neurosurgical residency, three at the University of Indiana under Bob Campbell, and one year at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford, England with Joe Pennybacker. Once his residency finished in 1971, he did a one year fellowship with Donaghy in Vermont, where he learned microneurosurgical techniques.

After finishing his fellowship in 1972, he was recruited to join the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh, by the newly appointed Peter Janetta. In 1975 he became Chief of Service of the Department of Neurosurgery at the Presbyterian University Hospital. Between 1972 and 1984, dates of his appointment at the University of Pittsburgh, he helped establish one of the major neurosurgical centers in the USA. He collaborated also with Dr Kenerdell from Ophthalmology in the treatment of orbital tumors. The biggest series of orbital tumors, more than 1000 tumors over a 20 year period, was the result of this collaboration.

In 1984, Joe Maroon was recruited to the Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) as Chairman of Neurosurgery. What he accomplished at AGH was another proof of his determination and perseverance. In 1984, there was only one neurosurgeon in the Department of Neurosurgery at Allegheny General Hospital, and the number of cases was around 400 operations per year. Now, there is 15 neurosurgeons on staff at Allegheny General, and the caseload is around 2800 cases/year. He transformed the department into multidisciplinary groups like the Back Institute, The Cranial Base Surgery Center etc. Neurosurgical research is conducted within the Allegheny Neuroscience Institute Research Center. A state of the art microneurosurgical dissection laboratory is also part of the department. Dr Wilberger runs the Trauma section at Alleghney General. Dr Adnan Abla, another WALN colleague is the director of the Spine Service. In 1995, Dr Maroon received the approval of the RRC to start a neurosurgical residency training program at Allegheny General. He was also appointed Chairman of Surgery that same year.

Among his contributions to organized neurosurgery was his appointment as President of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons in 1985, among many other offices he held in that organization.

Dr Maroon has over 210 publications and 38 book chapters. He is on the Editorial Board of 10 different journals. He has been the honored guest of numerous neurosurgical societies in various countries all around the globe. He has made numerous contributions to neurosurgery, including:
· Introduction of Doppler ultrasonic techniques to detect air emboli,
· Minimally invasive techniques for lumbar disk surgery like percutaneous diskectomy,
· CT guided stereotactic brain biopsy,
· The advancement of anterior skull base and orbital surgery techniques.

He has also made contributions to the field of sports medicine. Besides his numerous publications in that area, he is the team neurosurgeon of the Pittsburgh Steelers football club, he is helping to implement a protocol for evaluating the cognitive effects of head injury in athletes. His involvement in sports crosses to the other side. He has completed the Hawaiian man triathlon in 1993, and the Canadian Ironman Triathlon in 1996, and he still continues his athletic pursuits in swimming, biking and running.

Dr Maroon is a charming man, well liked by his patients, employees and medical colleagues. He is probably the busiest and most known neurosurgeon in Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia. In fact one of the previous residents of Dr Maroon was told that “Pittsburgh is known for Joe Maroon and transplant surgery”. He is also a workaholic and a decisive man, and his career is a witness to that. His interests go beyond neurosurgery, with a marked “humanistic” aspect. His Presidential address to The Congress of Neurological Surgeons was entitled “From Icarus to Aequinimitas”. This is probably one of the most famous Presidential addresses, still frequently cited. It discusses, among other themes, the theme of “Balance” in the life of a neurosurgeon, or any other professional, between four major components: professional, physical, spiritual, and family/social. The theme comes back in some other writings, like “The Paradox of Success …and the Neurosurgeon”.

Dr. Maroon is proud of his Lebanese heritage, heritage that was strongly emphasized by his father. The Lebanese customs, food, family values, and work ethics are all extremely valuable to Dr. Maroon.

He has visited Beirut in 1968, and again in 1997, during the WALN Homecoming Congress when he was impressed by the hospitality of the Lebanese people.

He is a big supporter of WALN. He gave a generous $1,000 donation in 1997 and he is presently supporting the WALN website and WALN Newsletter production at Allegheny General Hospital. He also traveled to Brazil this year to participate and support the WALN sponsored meeting held by our Brazilian representative Dr. Latuf. He was recently appointed as a Panel reviewer on the Pan Arab Journal of Neurosurgery.

Dr. Maroon and his wife Lynn, former emergency room nurse, and their two daughters: Adara and Isabelle, reside in Sewickley, in the Pittsburgh suburbs.


Message of the European representative, Dr Abbas Srour

Dr Srour our Representative in Europe sent the following message. We are happy to print it both in French and in English. Submissions in any language spoken by members of WALN is welcome, especially if there is an accompanying English translation. The Editor will be more than happy to translate any Arabic or French messages.

Paris le 17 avril 1998

Chers collegues

La reunion de WALN qui a eu lieu au Liban en juillet 1997 etait un success indiscutable tant sur le plan presentation de sujets de haut niveau scientifique que sur le plan connaissance mutuelle entre nous, enfants du pays qui sont partout dans le monde.

Chacun parmi ceux qui ont participe, sans exception, etait ravis par la bonne qualite d’acceuil, l’organisation des soirees, les visites des sites archeologiques et par la meme occasion voir nos parents.

Ainsi nous etions dans notre pays le Liban au moment ou il a besoin des gens qui connaissent en lui sa propre identite, sa culture et sa propre histoire.

Pour cette raison je m’addresse particulierement a mes collegues en Europe afin de participer activement et avec plus d’enthousiasme pour cette association qui concerne chacun de nous.

C’est aussi une facon a nous, neurochirurgiens libanais, d’exprimer notre attachement et notre determination a la valorisation de notre pays et son propre et unique image d’un pays laique, civilise ou la frontiere archaique -de confessionalisme et differentes ethnies religieuse- n’existe pas; telle est la structure fondamentale de WALN.

L’annee prochaine il y aura un second meeting au Liban. Je suggere pour ceux qui desireront de participer de preparer des maintenant un travail a presenter et je souhaite que vous soyez nombreux.

A bientot.

Abbas Srour
Representant de WALN pour l’Europe

English Translation

Paris April 17, 1998

Dear Colleagues

The WALN meeting that was held in Beirut in July 1997 was, without any doubt, a success, whether at the level of the presentation of high level scientific topics or at the level of the interaction between us, children of Lebanon, scattered all over the globe.

Each one among those who have participated , without exception was elated by the quality of the reception, the organization of the evenings and the visits to the archeological sites, and at the same time, seeing our parents.

So we were in our homeland, Lebanon at the time when it needed people who recognize its identity, culture and history.

It is for this reason that I ask from my European colleagues to participate actively, and with more enthusiasm for this Association that is ours.

It is also a way for us –Lebanese Neurosurgeons- to express our attachment and determination to the valorization of our country and its unique and own image of a civilized laic country, where the archaic boundaries of “confessionalism” and different religious ethic groups, does not exist. This is the fundamental structure of WALN.

Next year there will be a second meeting of WALN. I suggest to my colleagues who wish to participate to start preparing from now their submissions and I hope they will be numerous.

See you soon.

Abbas Srour
European Representative of WALN.


Minutes of the Philadelphia meeting

The last offficial WALN meeting was held in Philadelphia at Cedars Restaurant on April 28, 1998. Were present at the meeting the following members: Drs Kandalaft, Hitchon, Abu Merhi, Saikali, Charbel, Hariz, Salibi, Farage, Nachnakian, Bejjani, Awad, Maroon, Morcos, Muakassa and Chedid, as well as several other guests.

Dr. Muakkassa gave the opening statement and he was followed by Dr. Chedid.

The treasurer report showed a balance of US$ 3650 in the WALN bank account. He discussed also the persistent problem of non paid dues.

Then a proposition to raise the yearly dues to US$ 50 was discussed and agreed upon by a unanimous vote.

The membership issue was next in line. Some of the present members discussed whether professional standing should be taken into account before accepting new members. It was felt that WALN is a fraternal organization aiming to strengthen the ties between Lebanese neurosurgeons worldwide, and not a regulatory or a “credentialing” organization. However it was decided to postpone the final decision to future reunions.

The progress on the “not-for-profit” status was reviewed by Dr. Chedid who shared his lawyer’s recommendations to change the bylaws in a way to accommodate the federal regulations on “not-for-profit” organizations. A Committe was formed to follow up on the proposed Bylaws revisions.

The date for the 1999 WALN meeting in Beirut (3rd week of June 1999) was agreed upon unanimously. Brezil was suggested as the site for a meeting in the year 2000.

The WALN 1998 Directory was reviewed. It was decided to update it in a year and to issue a new directory in 2 years. Photo members will be added in upcoming issues.

It was also decided to move the dinner to Mondays.

A decision was made to apply to the WFNS for an adjunct status of WALN.

Dr. Nachanakian who is the officer in charge of training in the newly estblished Pan Arab Neurosurgical Society (PANS), proposed to start cooperation between the PANS and WALN. Dr. Muakkassa was nominated as official WALN liaison with the PANS. Dr. Bejjani was also proposed as Newsletter Editor for PANS. Biannual contributions to the Pan Arab Journal of Neurosurgery were solicited from all WALN members.

The issue for the 2005 WFNS meeting was next on the agenda. Two Arab countries have presented their candidature to host the meeting: Egypt and Morocco. It was decided to support their candidature, although it was felt that the probability of holding the meeting in an Arab country would be higher if either one of these countries withdrew its candidature in support of the other.

The meeting was concluded by holding the elections of the Lebanese Representative. Two members had been nominated: Dr. George Nohra and Dr. Youssef Comair. Proxy votes and the vote of the members who were present were added. The results were as follows:
George Nohra: Zero votes
Youssef Comair: 9 proxy votes and 13 on site votes for a total of 22 votes.

Dr. Youssef Comair was officially appointed Regional representative of WALN for Lebanon and the Middle East. Dr. Chedid was asked to inform him of the vote results.

Shortly afterwards the meeting was adjourned.


X-Plain Neurosurgery Translated to Arabic

By Mohammad Ajam

Dr. Fuad Haddad, lifetime honorary president of WALN, is working with the Patient Education Institute on translating selected X-Plain Neurosurgery programs to Arabic. X-Plain Neurosurgery is a computer-based patient information system used at clinics and hospitals to inform patients about their recommended treatments and to print patient education handouts. The Patient Education Institute is located at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa (USA). Its services include developing patient education software, installing touchscreen health promotion kiosks, and implementing interactive patient education surveys. X-Plain Neurosurgery, which has been available since 1995 for touchscreen kiosks, was released on CD-ROM in early 1997.

Version 4 of X-Plain Neurosurgery, due to be released in October 1998, allows neurosurgeons and their staff to customize the content displayed on-screen or printed on paper, and to replace the narration with their own voice. Physicians and their staff can use different fonts to translate the text to different languages. Healthcare providers can also record the narration, thus creating a completely translated and localized version of X-Plain Neurosurgery in the languages and dialects of their choice.

Several X-Plain modules are currently published in Spanish and some are being translated to German. Globally, neurosurgeons are using the English version of X-Plain Neurosurgery to help them explain the recommended neurosurgical procedures to their patients using the diagrams and animations of X-Plain. With Dr. Haddad’s help and the help of other Arabic-speaking neurosurgeons, the Patient Education Institute will be able to make many of the 51 neurosurgery titles available in Arabic by the year 2000.


Letters to the Editor

The following are excerpts from comments received via regular mail or email from various WALN members.

“Dear Ghassan:

It was a pleasure getting together with you and all the WALN members in Philadelphia, during the last AANS Meeting. What a long way the organization has come from its early beginnings few years ago to its current status.

Besides the sense of belonging and friendship, both old and new, the group continues to bring together widely seperated members of a unique, yet unifying, professional culture, that is ever so refreshed and refreshing at the same time. It makes us all very proud to be part of this group, and in a sense co-founders of a solid organization that we all want to be part of and somehow contribute to its continued growth and progress.

Now that the membership has grown to more than two hundred members and with the Directory that you put together and distributed to us in Philadelphia, I was wondering whether the time has come to establish a membership committee to update the directory and look into setting up some broad guidelines and verify the credentials of future members of the organization ?...”

We had the following comments on the WALN Directory:

“A beautiful achievement. I congratulate you on your endeavor. The WALN directory is excellent. It is indeed a great honour to belong to such an Association. Keep up the good work…”

“.. It is a monument of WALN. It makes us proud to belong to such an Association..”

“ The Directory is superb. It will definitey help bring together Lebanese Neurosurgeons worldwide...”


The Brazilian Experience

It was with great pleasure that I attended the Nineteenth Course on Continuing Education of Neurosurgery upon the kind invitation of Dr. Nilton Latuf in Ribeirao Preto - Sao Paulo, Brazil. The conference was from April 3, 1998 to April 5, 1998. I left for Brazil April 1, 1998 along with my family. We arrived in Sao Paulo and then took a plane from Sao Paulo to Ribeirao Preto. Dr. Latuf was waiting for us at the airport and made arrangements for us at the Stream Palace Hotel where we stayed while we were there. We joined Dr. Joseph Maroon, Dr. Jafar Jafar, Dr. Fady Charbel and members of the WALN who attended this course. The course was very intense and extensive. There were neurosurgeons from all over Brazil, including Dr. Saba, Dr. Sarraf, Dr. Yazigi and several other people which we had a chance to talk with. We also met with some very important dignitaries who attended the meeting. The course was successful. Several presentations were made by myself, Dr. Maroon, Dr. Charbel and Dr. Jafar on different topics. We had a chance to socialize with our colleagues to discuss neurosurgical issues as well as social issues. We had time with Dr. Basso from Argentina where we discussed several issues. We met with the Dr. Souza, President of the Council of the Brazilian Neurosurgical Society. We met with Dr. Basso from the World Federation, Dr. Tellas, President of SBN, the Brazilian secretary, and Dr. Fiuza, the new President of SBN along with Dr. Mello, Commission of the SBN for Residents. We also met with our dear friend, Dr. Latuf. There were 208 participants in the meeting. The scientific program was remarkable with educational presentations. There was also a poster session and exhibition. The evenings were full of social activities, dinners, dancing and receptions. This gave us more time to socialize with our friends from the Brazilian contingency as well as our American friends who were there.

I have to thank Dr. Latuf for a well organized conference, for an outstanding symposium and for the great effort he put into this single handed. His secretary was amazing with the amount of arrangements and organization. We were impressed with the educational benefit from this course. I would also like to thank Drs. Sarraf, Saba and Yazigi for their help and the time we spent with them. The conference was first class level educational wise and also first class level entertainment wise. The day before we left, Dr. Latuf invited us to his house where we enjoyed dinner with him and his family as well as other neurosurgeons from Brazil and other countries. The dinner was magnificent, the food was superb and the service was outstanding. The hospitality was of the highest possible caliber. Again our thanks to Dr. Latuf for his hospitality and his great effort in putting this conference together. I give also my sincere thanks to all of the other WALN members in Brazil and the non-WALN members who were there and helped us make this course a success. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Joe Maroon, Dr. Jafar Jafar, and Dr. Charbel for their contributions, their presence, and for the outstanding time that we spent together, in my opinion was very precious and was of the highest quality time that was beneficial for both groups. During my stay in Brazil, I felt the sense of hospitality and the sense of enthusiasm for the WALN and I do thank the Brazilian contingency for that. I also felt that there was a need for the WALN to plan a conference in Brazil at a higher scale. One place that was discussed was Fozdo Iguacu and I will get in touch with Dr. Sarraf to see if we can arrange for that, not for next year but may be the year after. I am very honored to have had the chance to join in this conference and to serve in the educational course and to be there to feel and sense the value, the compassion, and the hospitality of our Brazilian brothers.

After we left Ribeirao Preto, we went to Sao- Paulo where we spent another day or two with other families from my hometown, Lebanese in origin, and then we headed back to the United States, via the Atlanta route. Dr. Charbel was on the same flight home and we had a chance to go over the course in its entirety and we were both impressed with the educational part and the hospitality of the Brazilian people.

By Mike Chedid, M.D., President of WALN


Behind the scene: WALN Acknowledges

WALN is grateful to the following individuals who made significant contributions to WALN over the past two years:

- Pamela Graff who was instrumental in editing and printing the WALN Newsletter over the past two years and editing the 1998 WALN Directory.

- Jennifer Herrod from the office of Genesys Neurosurgical Associates, Grand Rapids, MI for coordinating the correspondence of WALN, mailing of the Newsletter, and printing the 1998 Directory.

- We are also thankful to Jeff Bost PA-C, at Allegheny General Hospital who made the website address transition smooth.


Pan Arab Neurosurgical Society

The Pan Arab Neurosurgical Society was founded in March 1996 at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The executive committee is composed by two members from each Arab country appointed by their national neurosurgical society, or recommended by the executive committee in the event that there is no neurosurgical society in that particular country.

It has a biannual meeting to alternate with the biannual EANS Pan Arab Course. It organizes also annual workshops in Saudi Arabia and other countries when possible.

Its officers are elected every four years, with the Presidency changing every two years. Its officers at present are:
President: Dr. Khalaf Al Moutaery (Saudi Arabia),
Secretary: Dr. Abd El Salam Al Khamlishi (Morocco),
Treasurer: Dr. Isaac Marka (Jordan),
Training: Dr. Antoine Nachanakian (Lebanon),
Historian: Dr. Fuad Haddad (Lebanon),
Vice-President: Dr. Sherif Ezzat (Egypt)

The PANS was officially recognized by the WFNS in 1997 in Amesterdam. The PANS will coordinate the WFNS courses in the Middle East. It also has strated a new journal, the Pan Arab Journal Of Neurosurgery.

Collaboration between WALN and the PANS has already started, with the appointment of Dr. Muakkassa as liaison, Dr. Bejjani on the Editorial Board of PANS, and Drs Maroon and Awad as panel reviewers.


Members News

Dr. Youssef Comair, Chairman of Neurosurgery at the American University of Beirut, was elected in Philadelphia as Regional Representative of WALN in Lebanon. In this occasion, WALN aknowledges the contributions of the previous Lebanese Representative, Dr. Georges Haddad, and expresses its gratitude. Dr. Comair obtained his Medical Degree from Saint Joseph University, Beirut. He trained in neurosurgery at the Montreal Neurological Institute. He was directing the Epilepsy program at the Cleveland Clinic before returning to Lebanon in 1997. Dr. Comair is a world authorithy in Epilepsy Surgery and we are all proud to have him represent WALN in Lebanon. He is also organizing the second WALN Homecoming Congress in Beirut for the year 1999. We are all looking forward to it.

A liaison has been recently established with the Pan Arab Neurosurgical Society (PANS), thanks to the efforts of Pr. Nachanakian, from Saint Georges Hospital, Beirut. Dr. Muakkassa will be the official liaison officer between both organizations. Drs Issam Awad and Joe Maroon were appointed as panel reviewers for the Pan Arab Journal of Neurosurgery. Dr Ghassan Bejjani will be on the Editorial Board of the Journal. Manuscripts are solicited from all WALN members. This unique journal in the Arab World should help further the progress of neurosurgery in the area. For more information, contact:
Dr. Khalaf Reden El Moutaery,
Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh,
P.O. Box 7897, El Remen 11159,
Saudi Arabia.
Fax:011-966-1-478-1017.

The WALN Directory 1998 (p.6) is out and has been mailed to members who have paid heir 1998 dues. Please inform any of the officers if you have paid your dues and did not receive the Directory.

Dr. Mokbel Chedid, President of WALN, and a number of other WALN members in the USA joined their Brazilian counterparts in Ribeirao Preto in a successful meeting organized by our South American Representative Dr. Nilton Latuf from April 3rd to April 5th, 1998. More details are listed separately in the Newsletter. We encourage and are looking forward to more of these meetings crossing the national and continental barriers to unite us all.

Dr. Ghassan Bejjani The Newsletter Editor met the European Representative of WALN, Dr. Abbas Srour, during a recent trip to Europe. The reunions took place in Paris July 24 and 25, 1998. These were very fruitful. Dr Abbas emphasized the importance of the educational role that WALN has to play.

The Yearly dues have been raised to US$ 50 starting the year 1999.

Photographs are sollicited from all members for the WALN Directory issue for the year 2000. Please send the photos to the Newsletter Editor. (Black and white preferably)

Dr. Ali Krisht established contacts with the various organizations grouping the leaders of the Lebanese emigration worldwide. They expressed teir strong support to WALN as well as their willingness to contribute financially to various projects undertaken by WALN.

Dr. Ghassan Bejjani moved to Allegheny General Hopsital, hence the change in the website address. The new address is www.asri.edu/neuro/brochure/waln.htm (there is no l after htm ,it is not a typo). He has been awarded also the Congress of Neurosurgeons Clinical Fellowship Award, and the Southern Neurosurgical Society Augustus McCravey Award for the best clinical paper, 1998.


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