Concussion: UPMC Chianciano international workshop

The international workshop Concussion, organized by UPMC, took place on June 7, 2017 at the Sala Fellini – Parco dell’Acqua Santa (Terme di Chianciano).

The event, endorsed by the Region of Tuscany, the Municipality of Chianciano Terme, the Province of Siena, the American Consulate General in Florence, the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy (AmCham) the FMSI (Italian Sports Medicine Federation), Ordine dei Medici Chirurghi e degli Odontoiatri di Siena, and Coop Medici 2000, involved 17 between speakers and moderators  from Italy, Ireland, and U.S.A. The workshop, valid for 7 CME credits, welcomed 100 participants including general practitioners,  Sports Medicine physicians, neurologists, physioterapists, and nurses. Special guest, the Italian Boxing Champion Roberto Cammarrelle, multiple Olympic medalist.

Leading concussion experts join for a groundbreaking workshop to share the best practices, protocols and treatments of concussion today. Concussion awareness and education is a continuing process within the healthcare systems and this workshop contributed to this process. Any level of a concussion can be a serious medical issue that requires prompt care by a health professional trained in managing concussions. To avoid repeat injury, it is crucial to manage concussions until complete recovery. The objective of the event was to provide physicians and specialists with the right instruments to identify and correctly diagnose concussion, and to be able to refer to the right Institute or Hospital for treatment.

 “Concussion is a much-debated topic. Sports medicine, on an international level, is searching for a reliable approach to diagnose concussion and to determine the full recovery of the brain functions in order to resume sport activities without risks,” said Chuck Bogosta, UPMC Executive Vice President and President of UPMC International. “Together with the Sports Medicine Division, we have developed a specific program for this condition (UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program), with personalized treatments based on the specific needs and goals of each patient.”

“Concussion is usually associated with negative traditional neuroimaging tests,” said Michael Collins, Clinical and Executive Director of the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program “We know that we are facing a well-defined biochemical damage, but it is evident only by means of neuropsychology tests that measure the cognitive functions, and that can be carried out a few days or weeks after the accident, or at different times to demonstrate its course. We have implemented a multiple approach through a complete neurocognitive screening to ascertain whether there is a concussion or not.”

Download the workshop program.