1. 13 th Congress of the European Rheumatoid Arthritis Surgical Society ERASS www.erass.org/congress First announcement Lund 3 – 5 June 2004

2. Preliminary programme Surgical treatment of younger arthritic patients Outcome evaluation Surgical complications The effect of DMARDs on joint destruction Free papers and posters Workshops Organizing Committee President U Rydholm (Lund) Members P Kopylov (Lund) K Knutson (Lund) B Bylander (Lund) A Stefansdottir (Lund) C Munk Jensen (Copenhagen) M Hämälainen (Oulo) P Aaser (Oslo) ERASS Executive Committee President P Rozing (Leiden) Vice President B Simmen (Zürich) Honorary secretary D Herren (Zürich) Treasurer K Hamelynck (Amsterdam) Past president FW Hagena (Bad Oeyenhausen) Council Member CR Howie (Edinburgh) Council Member U Rydholm (Lund) Council Member RK Miehlke (Sendenhorst) ERASS Scientific Committee RG Nelissen (Leiden) A Lluch (Barcelona) RK Miehlke (Sendenhorst) AC Paus (Oslo) Congress schedule Wednesday June 2Registration Thursday June 3ERASS congress Friday June 4ERASS congress Saturday June 5ERASS congress Saturday - SundayPost congress tours

3. Dear member or non-member of ERASS, It will be the second time that ERASS meet in Scandinavia (Oslo was first in 1992). The XIII th ERASS Congress in Lund, Sweden will be organized in co-operation with the Danish, Norwegian and Finnish Rheumatoid Arthritis Surgical Societies. The main themes of the congress will be surgery in younger patients with RA, evaluation of outcome, surgical complications and the effect of DMARDs on joint destruction. Joint replacement in younger patients will be loaded more heavily and for a longer time than in older patients, putting special demands on surgical technique and choice of implants. Improved methods for evaluation of outcome have to be developed, and the management of surgical complications is especially important in younger patients. New data on the effect of modern anti-rheumatic drugs are also emerging. Even if the young RA patient will be put in focus, free papers and posters on all RA- related topics are invited. In Lund, situated in the southernmost part of Sweden, just opposite to Copenhagen, summer commonly arrives in late May or early June and we hope to be able to show you this part of Scandinavia from its best. You are most welcome to spend some memorable days with old and new friends with an interest in RA-surgery. The congress will be held at a conference center just outside Lund and shuttle buses will provide a continuos link to the town center. It is also very easy to reach Copenhagen and Denmark by the new Öresund bridge. Make a reservation in your agenda for June 3-5, 2004. Welcome! Piet M Rozing Urban Rydholm ERASS president Congress President Lund and Leiden in February 2003

4. Information: urban.rydholm@ort.lu.seurban.rydholm@ort.lu.se early registration: info@destinationoresund.com Pre-Congress Deadlines 1st announcementFebruary 2003 2nd announcement, call for papers, abstract and registration formSeptember 2003 Abstract submission deadlineFebruary 1 st 2004 Confirmation of acceptance of paper/posterMarch 31 st 2004 Definite programmeApril 2004 Main sponsors: Centerpulse EndoPlus Johnson&Johnson De Puy Orthopaedic Surgeons Rheumatologists are invited