Disclosure Information

In accordance with the ACCME Accreditation Criteria, the American College of Surgeons must ensure that anyone in a position to control the content of the educational activity (planners and speakers/authors/discussants/moderators) has disclosed all financial relationships with any commercial interest (termed by the ACCME as “ineligible companies”, defined below) held in the last 24 months (see below for definitions). Please note that first authors were required to collect and submit disclosure information on behalf all other authors/contributors, if applicable.

Ineligible company

The ACCME defines an “ineligible company” as any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services used on or consumed by patients. Providers of clinical services directly to patients are NOT included in this definition.

Financial Relationships

Relationships in which the individual benefits by receiving a salary, royalty, intellectual property rights, consulting fee, honoraria, ownership interest (e.g., stocks, stock options or other ownership interest, excluding diversified mutual funds), or other financial benefit.  Financial benefits are usually associated with roles such as employment, management position, independent contractor (including contracted research), consulting, speaking and teaching, membership on advisory committees or review panels, board membership, and other activities from which remuneration is received, or expected.  

Conflict of Interest

Circumstances create a conflict of interest when an individual has an opportunity to affect CME content about products or services of an ineligible company with which he/she has a financial relationship.

The ACCME also requires that ACS manage any reported conflict and eliminate the potential for bias during the educational activity.  Any conflicts noted below have been managed to our satisfaction. The disclosure information is intended to identify any commercial relationships and allow learners to form their own judgments. However, if you perceive a bias during the educational activity, please report it on the evaluation. 

Planning Committee Disclosures

Andrew Kastenmeier, MD, FACS - Planner, Module Chair, and Course Co-chair, for this educational event, has financial relationship(s) with: 1) Gore as an educator and received an honorarium.

Laura J. Moore, MD, FACS - Planner and Course Chair, for this educational event, has financial relationship(s) with: 1) Frontline Medical Technologies as a Chair for the Clinical Adv. Board and received stock 2) Decisio Health Inc is a Clinical Co-founder and received stock.

Speakers / Faculty Disclosures

Kyle G. Cologne, MD, FACS - Faculty for this educational event has as no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose

Jennifer S. Davids, MD, FACS - Faculty, for this educational event, has financial relationship(s) with: 1) Olympus as a speaker and received honorarium. 2) Tavanta as a consultant and received honorarium. 3) SafeHeal as a consultant and received honorarium.

Matthew I. Goldblatt, MD, FACS - Faculty, for this educational event, has financial relationship(s) with: 1) WL Gore, Inc as a consultant, speaking, and researcher and received both honorarium and research funding. 2) Medtronic as a consultant, speaking, and researcher and received both honorarium and research funding. 3) Intuitive Surgical as a proctor and received an honorarium. 4) Corza Medical as a consultant and received and honorarium. 

D. Ryan Hall, MD, FACS - Faculty for this educational event has as no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose

Daniel N. Holena, MD, FACS - Faculty for this educational event has as no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose

Christina Jacovides, MD - Faculty for this educational event has as no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose

Ryan Juza, MD - Faculty for this educational event has as no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose

Andrew Kastenmeier, MD, FACS - Faculty, for this educational event, has financial relationship(s) with: Gore as an educator and received an honorarium.

Tammy Kindel, MD, FACS - Faculty for this educational event has as no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose

Sean Langenfeld, MD - Faculty for this educational event has as no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose

Meghan R. Lewis, MD, FACS - Faculty for this educational event has as no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose

Eric M. Pauli, MD, FACS - Faculty, for this educational event, has financial relationship(s) with: 1) Becton-Dickinson as a speaker/teacher and received honrarium. 2) Medtronic as a speaker/teacher and received honrarium. 3) Boston Scientific as a consultant and received honorarium. 4) Actuated Medical as a consultant and received honorarium. 5) Cook Biotech as a consultant and received honorarium. 6) Neptune Medical as a consultant and received honorarium. 7) Surgimatix as a consultant and received honorarium. 8) Noah Medical as a consultant and received honorarium. 9) Allergan as a consultant and received honorarium. 10) Intuitive Surgical as a consultant and received honorarium. 11) ERBE as a consultant and received honorarium. 12) Integra as a consultant and received honorarium. 13) Steris as a consultant and received honorarium. 14) Mesh Suture Inc as a consultant and received honorarium. 15) UpToDate (Wolters Kluwer) as an editor and received royalties. 16) Springer as an editor and received royalties

Ezra N. Teitelbaum, MD, FACS - Faculty, for this educational event, has financial relationship(s) with: Boston Scientific as a speaker and received consulting fees.