Dr. Martin Schreiber, Adjunct Professor of Surgery at Uniformed Service University and one of the nation's most influential trauma surgeons, was among the attending members at the 181st Meeting of the Society of Clinical Surgery (SCS), held in Rome from November 6–8. The meeting marked an uncommon occasion in the recent history of the Society of convening outside of North America, and the 2nd time the meeting was held in Italy, with the last meeting held there in 1925. The Society of Clinical Surgery was founded in 1903 as a travel club for young surgeons by charter members Harvey Cushing, George Crile, and Charles Frazier, among others.
Photographs from the event showed internationally recognized trauma expert Martin Schreiber, MD, participating in operating room observation sessions. His appearance in Rome comes shortly after completing more than a decade of leadership as Chief of Trauma, Critical Care, and Acute Care Surgery at Oregon Health & Science University, a tenure that helped define modern trauma systems in the United States.
A Major Meeting for a Global Surgery Population
The 1,575-bed teaching hospital of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, hosted the 181st SCS meeting. Local hosts included neurosurgeon Dr. Alessandro Olivi and hepato-biliary surgeon Dr. Felice Giuliante, who coordinated three days of live surgery, case observation, and scientific sessions.
One of the defining features of SCS meetings is real-time surgical observation. Members rotate through active operating rooms to study technique, workflow, and decision-making. Robotic and advanced minimally invasive procedures dominated this year's OR schedule, continuing to influence both elective and acute-care surgery.
Why Dr. Martin Schreiber Was a Significant Attendee
Although not listed as a speaker in the 2025 program, Dr. Martin Schreiber (USU) drew attention for his longstanding impact on trauma care. Over more than ten years, Dr. Schreiber led OHSU's Division of Trauma, Critical Care, and Acute Surgery, one of the busiest trauma programs in the country. Under his direction, the division became nationally recognized for its research output, rapid-care systems, and trauma-readiness infrastructure.
A Career That Reshaped Trauma Medicine
Martin Schreiber, MD, is known internationally for major contributions to:
- Hemorrhagic shock management
- Whole-blood transfusion research
- Surgical resuscitation techniques
- Traumatic brain injury care
- Damage-control surgery
His early work challenged conventional transfusion practices by demonstrating that whole blood, similar to military protocols, can be safer and more effective in many trauma cases than separate blood components. Today, whole-blood resuscitation is once again used in trauma programs across the United States, in part because of his published research.
Dr. Schreiber also authored more than 450 peer-reviewed papers, including studies in The Journal of the American Medical Association, The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, Transfusion, and Military Medicine. His additional work on TBI emphasized rapid hemorrhage control and tight fluid management principles now embedded in trauma training programs nationwide.
A Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, he continues to serve national trauma initiatives and military-medicine research efforts. His leadership roles remain referenced under Martin Schreiber across major academic and military medical networks.
Technologies Highlighted at the 181st SCS Meeting
The Rome meeting delivered one of the most technology-heavy programs in the Society of Clinical Surgery's history. The official OR schedule confirmed a strong emphasis on robotics, endoscopic innovation, and advanced neuromonitoring.
Robotic Surgery Takes Center Stage
On November 7, members observed several robotic procedures, including:
- Robotic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
- Robotic sleeve gastrectomy
- Two robotic hysterectomies
- Robotic low anterior resection
- Robotic central hepatectomy
The complexity of these cases highlighted how deeply robotic technology is embedded in Italian surgical practice. For trauma leaders like Dr. Schreiber, such demonstrations offer a glimpse into how robotic systems are becoming increasingly important in high-acuity settings and emergency surgeries.
Advanced Minimally Invasive and Endoscopic Cases
The broader schedule featured:
- Laparoscopic colectomies and hepatectomies
- Laparoscopic cholecystectomies
- Endoscopic ultrasound–guided cholecystostomy
- Percutaneous nephrolithotomy
- Ureteroscopy
In particular, we were drawn to EUS-guided cholecystostomy and its role in stabilizing acutely ill patients for critical-care and trauma teams to learn more about for future implications.
Intraoperative Neuromonitoring and Thoracic Innovation
Scientific sessions included lectures such as:
- "Advanced Monitoring Techniques in Posterior Fossa Surgery" by Dr. Olivi
- A thoracic innovation lecture by Dr. Stefano Margaritora, highlighting robotic thoracic surgery and regenerative approaches
These sessions underscored how real-time neuromonitoring and tissue-preservation strategies are expanding across surgical specialties.
Why the Rome Meeting Matters for Trauma Care
For a trauma expert like Martin Schreiber, MD, observing the latest robotic and minimally invasive techniques at one of Europe's largest surgical hubs offered insight into where emergency care is headed.
Potential Impact Areas Include:
- Robotic systems in emergency operations: High-precision robotic tools could eventually improve outcomes in select trauma cases where visualization and control are critical.
- Endoscopic interventions for unstable patients: Procedures such as EUS-guided drainage may reduce the need for invasive emergency procedures.
- Physiologic monitoring integration: Advanced neuromonitoring models foreshadow real-time tracking tools that could be adapted for trauma resuscitation.
- Global system benchmarking: Exposure to Gemelli's high-volume multidisciplinary workflows provides a valuable perspective for U.S. trauma-system design.
Colleagues noted that the trauma leader was engaged throughout the OR tours, paying close attention to cases involving complex abdominal surgery and high-risk anatomy procedures, which pose many challenges familiar to trauma surgeons.
Background on Martin Schreiber, MD
- Bachelor's degree, University of Chicago, 1984
- Medical degree, Case Western Reserve University, 1988
- Colonel, U.S. Army Reserve
- Former Chief of Trauma, Critical Care & Acute Care Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University
- Author of more than 450 scientific papers
- Internationally recognized expert in trauma resuscitation, hemorrhage control, and military medicine
After completing his tenure at OHSU, Dr. Martin Schreiber continues to lead national trauma research initiatives, advance military medicine, and mentor young surgeons across the United States.
A Meeting That Signals Change Across Surgery
The 181st SCS meeting represented a clear shift toward global surgical collaboration and technology-driven practice. By bringing leading U.S. surgeons, such as Dr. Martin Schreiber, into direct contact with European robotic and minimally invasive programs, the society highlighted how rapidly the field is evolving.
As surgical technology continues to advance, the Rome meeting may be remembered as a turning point, one that allowed leaders like Dr. Martin Schreiber to evaluate firsthand how robotics, endoscopy, and precision monitoring will influence the future of trauma care.
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