[Asian Shoulder and Elbow Joint Society 2024 Academic Conference, 2024-10/3-10/5] [2024 Pain Medicine Society Gross Simulation Surgery 2024-9/30-10/1] [Transarterial Microembolization (TAME)] [Fibrosis] [Academic Exchange]

Author: Bow Wang, M.D.

Thank you to Professor Kuo Chi-Yang of Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital for the invitation, which allowed me to participate in the 2024 Asian Shoulder and Elbow Joint Medical Association Academic Conference to share a literature review on the application of Transarterial Microembolization (TAME) in frozen shoulder, the changes of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), related applications, and my own research results.

Besides sharing my own research results at this conference, what impressed me most was the presentation by Associate Professor Kuo Shu-Jui of the Department of Orthopedics at China Medical University Hospital on basic molecular biology research on frozen shoulder.

Dr. Kuo's presentation mentioned the important roles of chronic inflammation and synovitis in frozen shoulder, and he explained that this might explain the treatment mechanism of micro-arterial embolization. Furthermore, Dr. Kuo introduced various aspects of research, including inflammation, neuromodulation, angiogenesis, fibrosis, and metabolic factors. Among these, key cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-β, which are crucial to inflammation, gave me more ideas for exploring this technology.After the presentation, I also thanked Professor Tang Ming-Che from National Cheng Kung University for his guidance and reminders regarding future research directions.

I would also like to thank Dr. Wang Po-Kai of Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital for inviting me to be a lecturer for the 2024 Pain Medicine Society's Gross Simulation Surgery course. This allowed me to share techniques for treating peripheral joint pain using ultrasound and X-ray fluoroscopic guidance with the simplified Transarterial Microembolization (TAME) on October 1st. Unfortunately, Typhoon Santoro hit, and although I was fortunate enough to partner with Dr. Huang Yu-Han, I was only able to complete one-quarter of the teaching session. I hope the audience benefited. Dr. Wang's decisive decision saved me from being stranded in Hualien and allowed me to return home, for which I am very grateful.