From more than 1,700 submitted abstracts, the ASGE program committee selected the “best of the best” to be presented at DDW^® 2017, culminating in a comprehensive educational program designed to meet the needs of practicing gastrointestinal endoscopists at all levels and in all settings.

“The program committee has assembled a fantastically rich and diverse program that includes 27 clinical symposia and 34 topic forums, as well as a wide variety of special programming, including the always-popular Breakfast-with-the-Experts and Meet-the-Professor lunch sessions,” said ASGE Secretary John Vargo, MD, MPH, FASGE, chair of the department of gastroenterology and hepatology at the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio.

Clinical symposia & hands-on workshops

Featuring world-renowned faculty, this year’s ASGE clinical symposia and workshop sessions encompass the most recent advances, best practices and latest research in the endoscopic field.

“From state-of-the-art lectures to hands-on demonstrations, the hottest topics in GI endoscopy will be presented by some of the top clinicians and scientists in the world,” Dr. Vargo said. “One of the hottest topics this year is the management of obesity, which is a burgeoning public health challenge in the U.S. and worldwide.”

ASGE sessions that will address this important topic include a clinical symposium on Saturday, May 6, titled Endoscopic Management of Obesity, and a hands-on workshop on Sunday, May 7, titled Bariatric Therapies. The Association for Bariatric Endoscopy (ABE), a division of ASGE, will present a special course in Chicago on Friday, May 5, before the official start of DDW. More information is available at bariendo.org.

Other ASGE workshops will cover hot topics such as endoscopic mucosal resection, on Monday, May 8, and endoscopic submucosal dissection on Tuesday, May 9. A Sunday symposium will focus on advanced endoscopic training while a Monday symposium will review advances in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

“We also continue to enhance and expand our international program with seven joint symposia scheduled with GI societies from around the world,” Dr. Vargo said. “These symposia offer a great opportunity to meet and share knowledge with our global colleagues.”

ASGE is also offering a special symposium featuring GI experts from Spanish-speaking countries who will summarize, in Spanish, some of the most important findings presented over the course of the meeting. Best of ASGE DDW en Español will be held on Tuesday.

Presidential Plenary

The annual ASGE Presidential Plenary session on Saturday will feature coffee, donuts and a menu of debates, state-of-the-art lectures and cutting-edge science. The always-popular session will be highlighted by a special address from ASGE President Kenneth R. McQuaid, MD, FASGE, as well as the J. Edward Berk, MD, DSC, FASGE, and Jack A. Vennes, MD, and Stephen E. Silvis, MD, endowed lectures.

“The design for the Presidential Plenary is going to be a bit different this year and should be a lot of fun,” Dr. Vargo said. “The pace is going to be more quick-hitting, with some lively pro-con debates and this year’s top-graded abstracts presented in rapid-fire fashion. It’s going to be a great start to the meeting.”

Additional highlights

DDW attendees will have a chance to view the top peer-reviewed video submissions from around the world during the annual ASGE Video Plenary Session and the seventh annual World Cup of Endoscopy, both on Tuesday.

“The World Cup is the premier video endoscopy forum in the world, with international contestants vying for the top endoscopy honor for their video submission,” Dr. Vargo said. “These videos represent the cream of the crop of all of the educational videos submitted at DDW.”

Another annual highlight of DDW is the ASGE Postgraduate Course. This year’s course, Best Tips, Worst Mistakes: Lessons From the Masters, will bring together an outstanding faculty of internationally renowned experts who will share tips for perfecting various endoscopic procedures and incorporating new modalities into clinical practice. The course will be presented in two half-day programs on Sunday and Monday.

“The postgraduate course represents the pinnacle of ASGE programming at DDW,” Dr. Vargo said. “This year’s course features an outstanding faculty of the field’s top experts who will offer invaluable insight for improving clinical practice for a variety of common disorders throughout the gastrointestinal tract.”

Dr. Vargo encourages attendees to make time to visit the ASGE Learning Center to view its vast collection of educational endoscopic videos and earn CME credit. ASGE will be launching new titles at the meeting and offering live presentations and hands-on demonstrations. The Learning Center also includes the ASGE Store, which will offer ASGE products and branded merchandise.

Another perennial DDW highlight, ASGE’s annual Crystal Awards ceremony, will take place on Sunday at Chicago’s posh Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel. The annual event supports ASGE’s clinical research, physician education and public outreach initiatives.