Over the past several years, Iceland has emerged as a vibrant center for medical and scientific innovation, with Kerecis at the forefront in the area of wound healing and tissue repair.
The discovery of intact fish skin grafts and research on its surgical applications has led surgeons to develop new treatment protocols that have changed the way they practice reconstructive surgery. In this symposium, attendees will learn from expert faculty on the utilization of Kerecis fish skin graft and their corresponding treatment algorithms that are designed to improve patient care and clinical outcomes.
The Minneapolis Surgical Symposium will take place on October 9th and 10th, 2026. The symposium will be led by clinical proctors with a didactic session to demonstrate the application techniques along with other reconstructive best practices, followed by a cadaver lab. The workshop’s purpose is to receive hands-on training on the application of intact fish skin grafts and upper and lower extremity tendon repair procedures. Furthermore, the lab intends to disseminate clinical best practices and applications and discuss future regenerative research.
PLEASE NOTE: Attendance at the Kerecis Minneapolis Surgical Symposium is for practicing surgeons in the field of Orthopedic Surgery and Podiatric Surgery, with a focus on both upper and lower extremity tissue injuries and reconstructive procedures for:
Attendees are required to actively participate in the full symposium, discussions, and feedback in the form of answering follow-up questions.
Standard fare air travel, meals, and lodging are covered by Kerecis for attending doctors and medical professionals for the duration of the workshop. Travel has to be booked by Kerecis; self-booked travel arrangements will not be reimbursed. Kerecis does not pay for family members and/or spouses.
Exclusion Criteria
Government employees are not eligible to participate in this event.
The Minneapolis Surgical Symposium is a one evening, one morning event open to eligible surgeons. Air travel, meals and lodging for one night is covered by Kerecis for participating physicians.
Dr. Rami Alrabaa completed his orthopedic surgery residency training at Columbia University Medical Center, followed by a fellowship in orthopedic sports surgery and shoulder reconstruction at the University of California, San Francisco. His clinical practice includes general orthopedics, orthopedic trauma, and a subspecialty focus on sports injuries and shoulder reconstruction.
Dr. Alrabaa’s surgical expertise spans arthroscopic and open procedures of the shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee. Commonly treated conditions include fractures, ligamentous injuries of the knee and shoulder, tendon ruptures, knee and shoulder arthritis, patellofemoral instability, shoulder instability, and rotator cuff tears. He is board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery (ABOS).
Dr. James Cottom is an orthopedic fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeon at the Florida Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Center in Sarasota, Florida. He specializes in trauma and reconstructive surgery of the foot, ankle, and leg, and is also extensively trained in the conservative and surgical treatment of diabetic conditions affecting the lower extremity, including limb salvage. Dr. Cottom also serves as the Fellowship Director of the Florida Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Center’s 12-month Foot and Ankle Fellowship.
Dr. Cottom graduated Magna Cum Laude from Scholl College/Finch University in 2002 and went on to complete a three-year surgical residency in reconstructive and trauma surgery of the foot and ankle at the Detroit Medical Center/ Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Following residency Dr. Cottom completed a 12-month surgical fellowship at the prestigious Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Center in Columbus, Ohio. He also completed an Ilizarov and AO fellowship. He has authored and published over 75 publications and 10 book chapters. Dr. Cottom has authored over 60 peer reviewed papers and book chapters. He has won research awards both at the state and national levels for his work.
The Minneapolis Surgical Symposium is a one-evening, one-morning event. For attending surgeons, Kerecis covers standard airfare, one night’s lodging, and meals for the duration of the workshop in return for full participation in the symposium and the follow-up surveys. Kerecis does not pay or reimburse travel arrangements for family members, including spouses.
Attire for the symposium is business casual.
Protective clothes and covering will be provided during hands-on sessions as needed.
All travel arrangements will be booked by Kerecis, with arrival on Friday and departure on Saturday. Due to compliance and regulatory requirements, airline tickets and hotel accommodations will be issued strictly according to the designated program dates. Once the ticket has been issued and the hotel reservation confirmed, any changes to arrival or departure dates desired by the attendee must be arranged by the attendee and will be at the attendee’s own expense.
Hotel
Radisson Blu Mall of America
2100 Killebrew Dr,
Bloomington, MN 55425
United States
Lab
Coloplast Bio-Skills Cadaver Lab
1601 West River Road North
Minneapolis, MN 55411