THE FEDERATION, THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESSES, AND THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL SUPPLEMENTS

Presidential message

The International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand was founded by 1966 by eight member societies and has developed into 32 national and regional hand surgery societies representing 79 countries.

The First International Congress of the International Fed­eration of Societies for Surgery of the Hand was held in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, in June 1980. Fifty-one coun­tries were represented by 526 registrants. An outstanding program was organized by Dr. Jacques van der Meulen and his committee. The Second International Congress was held in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., under the able hosting of chairman Dr. Richard J. Smith and his committee from the American Society of Surgery of the Hand. Six hundred fifteen participants from 35 countries attended this fine Congress.

The Third International Congress will be held in Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan, with the Japanese Hand Society as hosts and with Dr. Tatsuo Tajima, Chairman, and his excellent committee as organizers. An outstanding program is planned. We expect a large delegation of hand surgeons from around the world to enjoy the famous Japanese hospitality. We urge that all hand surgeons plan to attend this important meeting. The organization and details of the meeting are described elsewhere in this Supplement.

This Supplement is a continuation of an effort by the In­ternational Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand to provide a publication with which hand surgeons throughout the world can identify. The continued explosion of infor­mation in the field of hand surgery is of great importance to the patients everywhere who suffer from diseases and dis­orders of the hand and upper extremity. The concept of the Supplement is to further the original designs and objectives of the Federation, which were: (I) to coordinate the activities by maintaining liaison between the various member societies, (2) to promote the free and full exchange of knowledge among

Alfred B. Swanson

the constituent organizations, (3) to improve and widen the opportunity for study and observation in the various countries, (4) to establish and recommend the adoption of certain stan­dards of nomenclature, classification of malformations, and disability evaluation, (5) to promote a bibliography of the world literature on surgery of the hand, and (6) to disseminate and share information throughout the world through its pub­lications, committees, activities, and members.

I hope that the continued publication of this Supplement will stimulate a truly international dialogue and eventual agreement on the very important subject areas of hand surgery.

Alfred B. Swanson, M.D. President, International Federation

Delegates and officers to the Federation

DELEGATES

Society Delegates American Society for Surgery of the Hand A. B. Swanson Sociedad Argentina de Cirugia de Ia Mano E. A. Zancolli Australia Hand Club B. McC. O'Brien Belgium Hand Group P. A. van Wetter

938 THE JOURNAL OF HAND SURGERY

Vol. lOA, No. 6, Part 2 November 1985 Delegates and officers to the Federation 939

Society Sociedade Brasileira de Cirurgia Da Mao British Society for Surgery of the Hand Manus Canada Sociedad de Cirugia de Ia Mano del Caribe Eastern Mediterranean Hand Group Egyptian Club for Surgery of the Hand Societe franc;aise de chirurgie de Ia main (G.E.M.) Deutschsprachige Arbeitsgemeinschaft fiir Handchirurgie Section for Surgery of the Hand of the Hungarian Society

for Traumatology Indian Society for Surgery of the Hand Israel Hand Club Societa ltaliana di Chirurgia della Mano Japanese Society for Surgery of the Hand Associacion Mexicana de Cirugia de Ia Mano Netherlands Society for Hand Surgery The New Zealand Society for Surgery of the Hand Section of Surgery of the Hand-Polish Orthopedic and

Traumatologic Association Portuguese Society for Surgery of the Hand Scandinavian Society for Surgery of the Hand Sociedad Sudamericana de Cirugia de Ia Mano The South African Society for Surgery of the Hand Sociedad Espanola de Cirugia de Ia Mano Societe Suisse de Chirurgie de Ia Main Turkish Hand Surgery Venezuelan Society for Surgery of the Hand Western Pacific Society for Surgery of the Hand Sociedad Colombiana de Cirugia de Ia Mano Sociedad de Cirugia de Ia Mano de Puerto Rico

PRESIDENTS

Erik Moberg, M.D. (1968-69) R. Guy Pulvertaft, F.R.C.S. (1970-71) Raoul Tubiana, M.D. (1972-73) Dieter Buck-Gramcko, M.D. (1974-75) Tatsuya Tajima, M.D. (1976-77) H. Graham Stack, F.R.C.S. (1978-79) Bernard McC. O'Brien, F.R.C.S. (1980-83) Alfred B. Swanson, M.D. (1983-)

Delegates R. J. Azze D. W. Lamb R. M. McFarlane L. Gomez Correa W. M. Fahmy W. M. Fahmy R. Tubiana D. Buck-Gramcko J. Manninger

R. Venkataswami J. Engel P. Scoccianti T. Tajima E. Vazquez Vela S. W. Rijnders J. G. Lester B. Nagay

M. A. V. Serra Costa S. Edshage G. Loda W. M. M. Morris J. M. Fernandex-V illoria A. Narakas R. Ege A. De Santolo R. R. W. H. Pho/S. P. Chow R. Laignelet M.A. Vargas

SECRETARY -GENERALS

Arthur J. Barsky, M.D. (1966-72) H. Graham Stack, F.R.C.S. (1972-77) Alfred B. Swanson, M.D. (1977-83) Robert M. McFarlane, M.D. (1983-)

Committees of the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand

Amputation Committee Nicholas Sastrc, Chairman

Durango 49-100, Piso Col. Roma Sur, 06700, D.F. Mexico

Paul W. Brown, Co-Chairman 3909 Main St. Bridgeport, CT 06430, U.S.A.

Anatomy Committee Kenneth M. Backhouse, Chairman

6 Lonsdale Sq. London, N. I. , England

Adrian E. Flatt, U.S.A. I. A. Kapandji, France John M. G. Kauer, The Netherlands