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About ISCoS - Sir Ludwig Guttmann Lecture

The Sir Ludwig Guttmann Lectureship was established by the International Medical Society of Paraplegia, now the International Spinal Cord Society, to recognize the pioneering work and lifelong contribution of Sir Ludwig Guttmann, the originator of modern multidisciplinary spinal cord care.

He was the first President of the International Medical Society of Paraplegia at its inception in 1961, the first Editor of the journal of the Society, Paraplegia, now Spinal Cord.

He was the inspiration and founder of what is currently the Paralympics. In the mid 1940's, while treating young veterans at the Stoke Mandeville Spinal Injuries Unit in England, Dr Guttmann introduced sport and exercise as mandatory activities for the patients, thus rebelling against the widespread nihilism with which the rehabilitative potential of spinal cord injuries was regarded. From the first Stoke Mandeville Games for the paralysed that Dr Guttmann organized for 16 archers in July of 1948, the athletic movement for individuals with spinal cord injuries has grown tremendously.

He retired from clinical work in 1966 but continued his involvement with sport.

He died in1980 leaving us his message that "spinal cord injured patients should be transferred as soon as possible to a specialized spinal injuries unit".

Sir Ludwig Guttmann's tireless effort and vision touched thousands of lives around the world - a legacy to be remembered and honoured by this Lectureship.

Lectures given to date:

1981 Sir George Bedbrook, Perth, Australia, President of IMSOP 1980-84

1993 William C Degroat, Department of Pharmacology, University of Pittsburgh, USA: ‘Neuropharmacology of the Autonomic Nervous System'

2002 James Fawcett, Cambridge University Centre for Brain Repair, United Kingdom
‘Inhibition of Axonal Regeneration at the Glial Scar and Strategies to Overcome this Obstacle in Order to Promote Functional Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury'

2004 Prof B Kakulas, The Australian Neuromuscular Research Institute, Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Perth, Australia
‘Neuropathology: The Foundation for New Treatments in Spinal Cord Injury'

2005 Prof Helmut Madersbacher, Neuro-Urology Unit, Landeskrankenhaus- Univ.Kliniken Innsbruck, 35, Anichstrasse, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
‘Progress in Neuro-Urology'

2006 Dr Michael J DeVivo, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA
‘Trends in SCI Rehabilitation Outcomes: 1973-2005'

2007 Dr Kristjan T Ragnarsson, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029- 6574, USA
‘Functional Electrical and Therapeutic Stimulation in SCI: Current Use and Future Direction'

2008 Ass Prof Philip Siddall, University of Sydney Pain Management Research Institute, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, Australia
‘Neuropathic Pain in Spinal Cord Injury'

2009  Dr John F Ditunno, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
'Outcome Measures: Evolution in Clinical Trials of Neurological/Functional Recovery in Spinal Cord Injury'