President's Greeting

I hope this message finds you well and thriving.

It is my great honor and privilege to announce that the 40th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Association for the Surgery of Trauma will be held on June 11–12, 2026, at Omiya Sonic City. I am deeply humbled by the responsibility entrusted to me and am fully committed to preparing for this important academic gathering.

The theme of this year’s meeting is “Harmony in Diversity.”

In today’s medical environment, the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration is greater than ever. I strongly believe that in trauma care as well, mutual respect among diverse professionals and maximizing each specialty’s expertise leads directly to better patient outcomes. At the same time, trauma care strategies vary depending on location and available resources, but maintaining harmony despite such diversity is essential.

As a dual-boarded specialist in both orthopedic surgery and emergency medicine, I have always sought to bridge these two fields. With recent workstyle reforms, some institutions are finding it increasingly difficult to accept emergency surgeries or critically injured trauma patients. However, I view this not as a crisis, but as a valuable opportunity for centralization. More physicians are now expressing interest in working at facilities capable of emergency surgery, and collaboration with nurse practitioners and specially trained nurses is expanding.

In the orthopedic trauma field, we continue to see an increase in spinal cord injuries, pelvic fractures, and proximal femoral fractures among the elderly due to low-energy mechanisms. These cases require careful reconsideration of surgical timing and perioperative management. Currently, preventable trauma disabilities tend to be overlooked, but we must begin to address this issue with seriousness and urgency.

By taking the lead in promoting emergency surgical intervention not only for severe trauma but also for geriatric injuries, I believe the Japanese Association for the Surgery of Trauma can truly become a “game changer” in the trauma care landscape of Japan.

We are making every effort to prepare a meeting where fruitful discussions and new collaborations can flourish across specialties and professions. I sincerely look forward to your active participation in this meaningful event.

Sincerely, May 2025