Focus On – Mini-Invasive Surgery

Name: Focus On – Mini-Invasive Surgery
Start: 2026-04-20T00:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-04-22T23:59:59+02:00
Location: Bucharest, Romania

Advanced Small Animal Laparoscopy MasterClass 2 (Adrenals, Liver, Lymph nodes and more)

Focus On – Mini-Invasive Surgery

Waiting list open

Waiting list

Program Director:

Univ. Prof. Dr. Gilles Dupré Dipl. ECVS (FR)

Principal Course Master(s):

Dr. Bart Van Goethem, Dipl. ECVS (BE)

Course Master(s):

Dr. Manuel Jimenez Pelaez, Dipl. ECVS (ES)
Dr. Federico Massari, Dipl. ECVS (IT)

Course Overview

Building on the success of our previous advanced laparoscopic training sessions at the Surgical Training Institute in Bucharest, we are excited to announce a new training program focused on adrenal and liver procedures, among other topics. Alongside Program 1, scheduled for October 19-21, 2026, this course covers the full spectrum of current minimally invasive techniques for small animals, including the most advanced applications of ICG and NIRF. Please note that these advanced courses are designed to be independent of each other, addressing different topics and can be completed in any order.

Under the expert guidance of Prof. Bart Van Goethem, our team of world-renowned specialists, including Manuel Jimenez and Federico Massari, will offer personalized instruction and insights. This will equip you with the skills needed to integrate these innovative minimally invasive procedures into your practice, ultimately benefiting your patients.

To maximize surgical training and individual benefit, participants will work in pairs, with a maximum of 10 tables available.

Aims and learning outcomes:

This masterclass will elevate your proficiency in minimally invasive surgery to the highest level.

By the end of this masterclass, you will be able to:
• Safely perform left and right adrenalectomies.
• Understand and utilize ICG and NIRF technology.
• Identify and dissect sub-lumbar and pelvic lymph nodes in different recumbent positions.
• Select appropriate cases for minimally invasive liver lobectomies and extra-hepatic shunt banding.
• Practice liver lobectomies, laparoscopic-assisted nephrectomies, and splenectomies.
• Explore additional techniques involving the pancreas, prostate, and ductus deferens.

This course is designed for individuals who possess prior experience in the field of small animal laparoscopy.

Course Program (Subject to change)

20 April 2026 – Lectures and simulator training

09:00 – 09:30 Course introduction
09:30 – 10:30 Laparoscopic liver surgery Massari
– Liver lobectomy
– Extrahepatic portosystemic shunt ligation Jimenez-Pelaez
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:00 Laparoscopic cholecystectomy Van Goethem
– Techniques (up-down, down-up, subserosal)
– Imaging modalities (visual vs NIRF-ICG)
12:00 – 13:00 Laparoscopic pancreatic surgery Jimenez-Pelaez
– Techniques (left – right)
– Imaging modalities (visual vs NIRF-ICG)
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break (with commercial talk by sponsors)
⇒ Sterilization of disposable instruments (Sterilux)
⇒ Power driven stapling devices (IntoCare)
14:00 – 17:00 Dry Lab
– Warm-up with dry lab exercises
– Warm up with ex-vivo livers (cholecystectomy, liver lobe resection techniques)
17:00 – 18:00 Liver and/or adrenal MIS in human medicine invited human speaker
19:30 – 22:00 Social dinner in Bucharest

Tuesday, 21 April 2026 – Lectures and cadaver training (dogs)

09:00 – 10:00 Laparoscopic adrenalectomy Van Goethem
– Techniques (sternal versus lateral recumbency)
– Video-assisted surgery for intravascular extension Jimenez-Pelaez
10:00 – 10:30 Laparoscopic splenectomy Massari
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 11:30 Laparoscopic prostatic surgery Massari
– Biopsies
– Extraparenchymal cysts
11:30 – 12:00 Laparoscopic nephrectomy Jimenez-Pelaez
12:00 – 13:00 Abdominal lymphadenectomy Massari
– Techniques (sternal versus lateral recumbency)
– SLN mapping with NIRF-ICG
– Perineal and trans-anal approaches to LN
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 18:00 Training on dog cadavers

Wednesday, 22 April 2026 - Live-animal training (anesthetized pigs)

09:00 – 12:00 Life-animal advanced abdominal procedures
12:00 – 13:00 Lunch Break
13:00 – 15:00 Life-animal advanced abdominal procedures
15:00 – 16:00 Debriefing, wrap-up, and farewell