Deutscher Wirbelsäulenkongress - DWG

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Glossary

1

DWG (Deutsche Wirbelsäulengesellschaft)

The German Spine Society, the scientific society behind DWG-Kongress. It bundles the spine interests of orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery in the German-speaking countries and issues recommendations used in everyday spine care.

2

DWG-Kongress

The society's annual congress: a three-day scientific meeting with symposia, free papers, workshops and an industry exhibition, held in a different German or Austrian city each year. The 2026 edition is listed for 9-11 December in Munich.

3

Spinal fusion (Spondylodese)

Surgical stiffening of one or more spinal segments using bone graft, cages and screw-rod instrumentation. Indications, levels and technique choices are among the most debated topics at the congress.

4

Pedicle screw

A screw placed through the pedicle into the vertebral body to anchor a posterior fixation construct. Freehand, fluoroscopy-guided, navigated and robotic placement techniques are all compared at DWG-Kongress.

5

Interbody cage

An implant inserted into the disc space to restore height and lordosis and to hold bone graft. Approach-specific designs (TLIF, PLIF, ALIF, LLIF, cervical) dominate the exhibition floor.

6

Decompression

Removal of bone, ligament or disc material that is compressing neural structures, for example in lumbar spinal stenosis. Whether to decompress alone or add fusion is a recurring controversy in the programme.

7

Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS)

Techniques using tubular retractors, percutaneous screws or endoscopic access to reduce approach-related muscle trauma. Often presented with workflow, learning-curve and radiation-exposure data.

8

Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM)

Continuous monitoring of motor and sensory pathways during surgery to detect impending neurological injury, particularly in deformity correction, intramedullary tumour and revision cases.

9

Adjacent segment disease

Degeneration or stenosis at the level next to a previously fused segment. Its incidence drives the debate on fusion length, motion-preserving implants and long-term follow-up.

10

Adult spinal deformity (ASD)

Complex malalignment of the adult spine, including degenerative scoliosis and sagittal imbalance. Sessions cover alignment targets, osteotomies, complication rates and patient selection.

11

Vertebroplasty / kyphoplasty

Cement augmentation of vertebral compression fractures, usually osteoporotic or tumour-related. Kyphoplasty adds balloon expansion to restore vertebral height.

12

Spondylolisthesis

Forward slip of one vertebra on another, degenerative or isthmic. Grading, instability testing and the choice between decompression alone and decompression plus fusion are standard congress topics.

13

CME points (Continuing Medical Education)

Credits awarded for certified medical education, required for German physicians' continuing professional development. DWG-Kongress sessions are traditionally accredited; verify the confirmed point count and your eligibility with the organiser.

14

AWMF guideline

A clinical guideline issued through the German Association of the Scientific Medical Societies (AWMF). Spine-related guidelines, for example on lumbar stenosis or adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, are frequent reference points in German-language sessions.

15

Medtech MDR (EU Medical Device Regulation)

The EU framework governing device approval and post-market surveillance. It shapes which implant systems and instrument sets European exhibitors can present and what clinical evidence they must supply.