The Highlights of ISGE '99

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Dr. Daniell: "Dr. Tulandi - congratulations. Here we are in Montreal with the ISGE meeting; this is Monday - you've done all the work you can do, you've got a great committee, you've got a fantastic program, you've had a wonderful turn out - tell me how relieved you are."

Dr. Tulandi: "Thank you very much. It's partial relief I think, by Wednesday afternoon I'll be more relieved."

Dr. Daniell: "Tell me how with your busy schedule, you're teaching, you're doing research - you're a world renowned researcher and lecturer - how did you manage to organize all of this so efficiently with all your other job descriptions that you have?"

Dr. Tulandi: "I think the key is to have a lot of help. I have help from the hospital staff; the professional committees organizer was great, and they're still great even today. We have a lot of help so we can manage to do a lot of things. I have to mention, however, it was hectic in the last few days."

Dr. Daniell: "I'm sure it's been rather hectic, it takes a lot of work and a lot of effort. Is it true you're going to volunteer to do one of these every year now? Is this true or not?"

Dr. Tulandi: "Not every year, every few years maybe - but not every year."

Dr. Daniell: "What do you think have been the highlights of the first day? I know you've been so busy going around, but I know you've been keeping tabs on everything; I've seen you in a lot of rooms. What's impressed you as far as some of the presentations today, anything stick in your mind?"

Dr. Tulandi: "I think the future of endoscopy surgery - I think that's number one. People are impressed with robotic surgery, computerized surgery, and the other one that people are very interested in - the new technology on endometrial ablation, which is microwave endometrial ablation."

Dr. Daniell: "This is new technology because this is going worldwide, anyone who has access to a computer can get online and access OBGYN.net and hear what you have to say. I know you're active in some of the research on the newest technology that hasn't come to the U.S. yet, and that's microwave technology. Say a word to that and remember that both lay people, as well as physicians, log on to OBGYN.net. So when you're talking about microwave endometrial ablation, you need to be talking to the lay people as well."

Dr. Tulandi: "Microwave endometrial ablation is the newest technology in treating women with abnormal uterine bleeding, usually excessive uterine bleeding or prolonged term bleeding. This microwave technique is fast, it seems safe, and more importantly - the results are as good as the standard endometrial ablation with resectoscope."

Dr. Daniell: "Right, we look forward to having the opportunity to use that in North America. What is your current personal involvement in other research in endoscopy? I know you're a very prolific writer. What are some of your other projects you're involved with now that you can mention to us?"

Dr. Tulandi: "We are involved in genetics of endometriosis, so we are taking samples, a little piece of tissue from the peritoneum and matching the DNA of these cells, and comparing it to the DNA in the parietal blood, and basically - you want to know the genetics of endometriosis."

Dr. Daniell: "Again, I'm a great admirer of your work and what you've done; I have just one personal question I want to ask - how does an Indonesian from a hot climate end up moving and living in Montreal, which is a half a world away and becoming fluent in French? How did you get from there to here?"

Dr. Tulandi: "I came here very early in life, so I had no choice, my parents came here as well. Here you cannot practice unless you pass a French examination. You're forced to learn French and you practice it everyday with your patients, so you become fluent in French."

Dr. Daniell: "That is fantastic. I know we have a good Indonesian contingent here at this meeting, I'm sure they're very happy to have someone who lives here locally that can speak their native language. I think that's very interesting. I know you have many things you have to do; you have a lot of demands on your time here. What are you going to do on Thursday of this week?"

Dr. Tulandi: "I'll sleep and take it easy, I need a break."

Dr. Daniell: "I would think so. Congratulations on organizing a wonderful meeting, and if the rest of the meeting goes as well as the first day has gone, it will be a very successful event. On behalf of the ISGE - I appreciate very much you doing this for us, it's a lot of work."

Dr. Tulandi: "I want to thank you very much, Jim. I think you have always been a great support of ISGE. You have been very helpful and your advice is always appreciated."

Dr. Daniell: "Now you'll be the one that will be giving advice for the next ten years on how to organize and run a really good scientific meeting without having everybody fall apart. So far nothing is falling apart, everything is working - only minor fires to put out, right? Thanks for taking the time to talk with us today."

Dr. Tulandi: "Thank you very much."