Preface

“Innovation – Sure, Safe and Sound” was the motto of this year’s annual meeting. This motto stated the fact that innovation is an integral part of the development of our specialty as it always must be. On the other side of this slogan is the emphasis that the safety of our patients must constitute a central point in medical evolution. The study of new surgical techniques and examination of current therapies is certainly essential in the development of our specialty. In this respect safety must always be at the heart of this effort. Hence is the old principle: “nihil nocere” that we should always call to mind in our daily practice, because we must always provide safe and effective treatment to our patients. This is to be achieved if we keep risks and possible sources of error in mind. For this reason I have chosen to give the review papers the title “Faults and Failure”. Beside themedical aspects, here we could shade a light on the legal aspect and have highlighted the particular errors of the different areas of our specialty. To promote the expanding our sense for self-criticism in this year’s meeting daily sessions took place under the title “Faults and Failure”. Individual complications and the resulting consequences have been discussed. We gained a very positive feedback to these sessions. In retrospect I’m sure that the 84th Annual Meeting with more than 900 publications andmore than 2500 visitors could present a very interesting and ambitious scientific program. One major input to our Congress came through international scientific collaboration which brought to us tremendous and valuable contributions which took place in the International Forum. For this important input to the success of the meeting I am very thankful to all international participants. My further thanks go to all authors for their invited and submitted presentations and also to all who took part in organization and arrangement of this conference.