CARSEP® IX, the latest edition in the ASCRS's popular self-assessment program, is now available! For the first time, CARSEP® IX is presented in an interactive, online format that offers you the opportunity to study from the convenience of your smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer. Features include:

• Nearly 250 questions presented in six key pillars for ease of studying in the areas you need
• Flexibility to exit the program and restart where you left off at any time
• Clear tracking to show your progress in the module
• Complete references, with some links to online content
• Immediate answer grading in the pillars and the ability to see how you performed compared with your peers
• A 100-question final self-assessment exam that simulates the board exam experience. Users have the opportunity to take the practice exam up to three times to achieve a passing score of 75% or higher.

Learn more about CARSEP® IX and how to purchase your copy.

The Fellowship Council is now accepting applications for the 2015 Non-ACGME Advanced Colorectal and Thoracic Fellowship Match. Those interested in applying for a fellowship position should submit their application, including letters of recommendation, no later than November 16, 2015.

Key Dates:

November 16, 2015: Application process closes and letters of recommendation due

November 30, 2015: Inform applicants of interview status

January 13, 2016: Match rank order deadline

January 21, 2016: Match date

The Fellowship Council was created to foster the development of high-quality fellowships in minimally invasive surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, flexible endoscopy, bariatric, thoracic, colorectal, and hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery through a universal application and match process.

Visit www.fellowshipcouncil.org for more information and to apply.

As you amy be award, Tripartite colorectal meetings are held every three years. These meetings welcome healthcare professionals from all over the world. The next Tripartite Colorectal meeting will be from Nov. 9-12, 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand.

The Tripartite 2020 Vision Research Prioritization Committee is working to build international collaborations in research, with patients as our partners. It has been funded by the Bowel Disease Research Foundation and will guide future research projects. This project aims to develop a mutual and internationally relevant research agenda in colorectal surgery, based on shared professional and patient priorities.

The Committee is interested in learning about your research priorities. Please complete the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Tripartite2020Vision and indicate which research questions you consider important. You may nominate up to five (5) research questions with this survey and may take it again as often as you like to a maximum of ten (10) questions per participant. The questions will then be voted on by the worldwide colorectal community, patients, and the public to select our research priorities. All research questions submitted will be anonymous.

The Tripartite 2020 Vision Research Prioritisation launched on August 13, 2018 and is supported by all Tripartite organizations including ASCRS. The initial survey will remain open until October 28, 2018.

Sincerely,
Tripartite 2020 Vision Research Prioritization Committee

Transanal Total Mesorectal Excision (taTME) is a novel minimally invasive surgical approach for the treatment of rectal cancer. Since the first taTME clinical report in 2009, the approach has been adopted increasingly worldwide. While preliminary outcomes of taTME are encouraging, they are limited to case series and one international registry.

The US Multicenter Study of taTME for rectal cancer opened for enrollment in May 2017 (clinicaltrials.gov NCT03144765). This is a 5-year Phase II clinical trial investigating taTME with laparoscopic or robotic assistance in patients with resectable rectal cancer and who are eligible for sphincter preservation.

The trial is led by Patricia Sylla, MD at Mount Sinai Hospital and is funded in part by a generous grant from the Research Foundation of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (RF ASCRS). For more information, please visit the taTME Multicenter Study web page.

As many of you may know, on April 11, 2019, Ethicon notified all U.S. customers they were initiating a voluntary recall of specific lots of Ethicon manual circular staplers, Intraluminal Stapler (ILS). This decision was based on an increase in the rare occurrence of the device having insufficient firing stroke to break the washer and completely form staples. This recall does not impact any of Ethicon’s other surgical staplers or other products.

The U.S. FDA classified the ILS Proximate Circular Stapler recall as Class I on May 15, 2019. The FDA has confirmed its alignment of Ethicon’s approach in handling this recall.

Ethicon has assured us their top priority is to return supply of this critical product. They expect to start shipping product during early June. Additionally, Ethicon is increasing production of their ECHELON CIRCULAR™ Powered Staplers to help reduce the impact of limited overall supply of circular staplers in the market.

The safety of our patients is a priority for both ASCRS and Ethicon. We will continue to inform you of updates on this issue.