Asia Pacific Wrist Association, New Affiliated Society of Journal of Wrist Surgery

Over the past 30 years, there has been an explosion in interest in wrist surgery. The development of wrist arthroscopy and open surgery has also been rapid in Asia. There really has been a passion for new surgical techniques throughout Asia. The Asia Pacific Wrist Association (APWA) was developed under the strong and creative leadership of our Foundation President, PC Ho in 2015 ([Fig. 1]). Since then it has continued to evolve, with our dynamic annual meeting and affiliated cadaveric workshops. Typically, we have 1 or 2 days of cadaveric workshops for open and arthroscopic surgery, which is followed by an energetic academic program of lectures and symposium for 2 days ([Figs. 3], [4]). APWA unites the wrist surgeons of Asia, and delivers them to the world.

Fig. 1 Inaugural executive board meeting, when the constitution was ratified, 2015.

Fig. 2 Great Wall of China walk, Shanghai 2016.

Fig. 3 Carpal Boss and the Loose Bodies performance in Adelaide 2017, Diego Fernandez, PC Ho, Marc Garcia Elias, and John White.

Fig. 4 APWA meeting held in Narita, Japan, in 2018.

The APWA has also embraced hand therapy, to ensure that we have good collaboration and we get the best outcome for our patients. The APWA Travelling Fellowship is now well established. This has been a great success and enabled exchange of knowledge across Asia. A real bonus has been that it has allowed the next generation of extremely talented wrist surgeons to be fast tracked to leadership positions ([Fig. 4]).

APWA do have great meetings, with many of the world's leaders in wrist surgery. Our honored advisors include Marc Garcia Elias, Lee Ostermann, Christophe Mathoulin, Richard Berger, David Lichtman, Guillaume Herzberg, Diego Fernandez, and Joy McDermid. They have all made significant contributions to our meeting and continue to be valued advisors to our society.

We welcome all readers of the Journal of Wrist Surgery to our fifth Annual APWA Congress to be held in Seoul, Korea, in November 2019. One of our new honored advisor will be Dr. Eva Maria Baur. She is also the first president of the new International Wrist Arthroscopy Society. Other advisors will be Karl Joseph Prommersberger and hand therapist Shrikant Chinchalkar.

APWA is a young Association but is energetic and brings surgeons and therapists who have a passion for the wrist. For further information, please visit www.apwa.asia. We have a regular newsletter which indeed highlights the academic and social aspects of our society.

Volume 8, number 6 issue of Journal of Wrist surgery includes tremendous two special reviews of “Scaphoid Fracture Patterns” and also includes interesting articles on radioscapholunate fusion, pediatric distal forearm fracture, distal radius fracture, thumb carpometacarpal fusion, interesting case reports, and emerging technologies using ultrasound-guided first compartment release.