The newly published Perioperative Management Guide for the Trifecta Client of EDS, MCAS & POTS was developed following discussions at The Ehlers-Danlos Society CORE Network of Excellence meeting in Baltimore, USA, in early 2025. It was striking to hear the shared difficulties faced by centers worldwide in managing hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) and hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD), particularly the challenge of engaging non-EDS/HSD-aware practitioners with emerging research and the principles of best practice in this client group.
During this meeting, international members shared the common challenges their patients faced around surgery in particular, particularly for those with the trifecta of hypermobility, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), and Dysautonomia/Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). These conversations highlighted the urgent need for a clear, practical resource to help guide surgical teams unfamiliar with the complexities of this population.
Inspired by these conversations, Physiotherapist Sharon Hennessey (Hypermobility Project and Not Just Bendy Hypermobility Services, EDS CORE Network, Australia), General Practitioner and Sports and Exercise Physician Registrar Dr. Jason Lam (The Dance Dr), and Clinical Psychologist Bianca Comfort (Comfort Psychology) from the Australian EDS & HSD CORE Network, collaborated to develop the guide. They dived into the literature and brought together threads across a broad range of multidisciplinary medical publications.
The pdf guide is available here. It has since been featured by another CORE Network member, The Mayo Clinic – EDS Clinic, on their blog. A more patient-friendly companion blog is also available.
The project reflects the strength of international collaboration fostered by The Ehlers-Danlos Society’s CORE Network of Excellence program and they look forward to more successful collaborations in the future.
