Our 11th meeting has a new look. We have re branded as the International Colorectal Forum or icf for short. Even though the name has changed our programme still offers participants an outstanding opportunity to contribute to their continuing medical education. Some of the leaders in colorectal disease will speak and moderate on a range of subjects essential and relevant to our clinical practice.
Freddy Penninckx will open the meeting this year as the eighth Marc-Claude Marti Lecturer and will talk on PROCARE the Belgian national rectal cancer project. Large national databases are being increasingly used to establish standards and ensure quality of outcome. They can be used wisely or abused sometimes to the disadvantage of clinicians. There continues to be a debate over the correct treatment for rectal tumours which have a good clinical response to neoadjuvant therapy. Extreme minimally invasive colorectal surgery can seem whacky or amazing. Laparoscopic ventral mesh rectopexy may be the answer to every pelvic floor dysfunction. Intestinal failure is a massive problem but is it worth all the time and effort invested? These and a number of issues will be vigorously discussed along with our usual cases.
The International Guest Lecture has a military mountain theme and of course everyone including friends and partners are welcome to join us for this event.
We wish you all a very successful forum and hope that you will enjoy your stay in Verbier. Do please join us for the icf supper and plan to come back next year for our 12th edition!

Jean-Claude Givel
Neil Mortensen