Soft Tissue Surgery IV

Name: Soft Tissue Surgery IV
Start: 2025-08-26T00:00:00+02:00
End: 2025-08-30T23:59:59+02:00
Location: Warsaw, Poland

Registration open

Program Director:

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

Principal Course Master(s):

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

Course Master(s):

Dr. Gert ter Haar Dipl. ECVS (NL)
Dr. Sarah Janssens, Dipl. ECVS (NL)

Instructor(s):

Dr. Ruta Noreikaite (LT)

Important notes and requirements

For this STS IV Head and Neck course, participants will have the opportunity to work in groups of 2 per surgical table ensuring an individual and intensive learning experience.

Course Overview

The ESAVS Soft Tissue Surgery courses are dedicated to veterinarians in practice or in the academic field who are willing to deepen their knowledge in soft tissue surgery. The comprehensive study program consists currently of 4 one-week modules. Each course is composed of a mix of theory and practice on models and cadavers. Much time is dedicated to interactive and practical training under the supervision of course masters and instructors, who are all internationally recognized European or American specialists.
After attending the whole program, participants shall have acquired sufficient knowledge not only to face most of the current clinical situations but also to further progress by themselves and then recognize the cases that need to be referred to specialists.

STS I (Soft Tissue Surgery I) is mandatory before continuing on to the next courses. STS II, III and IV can be taken in any order. It is recommended to take STS V only after completion of the previous courses.

Soft Tissue Surgery IV:
This course is dedicated exclusively to head and neck surgery. A strong focus will be put on upper airways and ear surgeries. However, topics as salivary mucoceles, thyroid and parathyroid diseases and surgeries will also be covered.

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the course, participants 1) shall have acquired a profound knowledge of upper airways anatomy and its relevance for treatment of diseases like Brachycephalic syndrome, laryngeal paralysis and tracheal collapse; 2) shall master a clear decision-making process for ear surgeries; 3) shall be able to perform external ear surgeries and to operate or refer middle-ear ones; 4) have become confident in treating salivary mucoceles and surgical diseases of thyroid and parathyroid.

Course Program (Subject to change)

Tuesday, 26 August 2025 - Hotel Mercure

08:30 – 09:00 Course introduction (Gilles Dupré)
09:00 – 10:00 Endoscopic examination of the ear + upper airways: principles (Gert ter Haar)
10:00 – 11:00 Diagnostic work-up for nasal disease and surgery of the nose (Gert ter Haar)
11:00 – 11:30 Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:15 Brachy intro and brachycephaly related diseases, symptoms and diagnosis (Gert ter Haar)
12:15 –13 :15 Most common surgical techniques to correct brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (Sara Janssens)
13:15 – 14:15 Lunch Break
14 :15– 15:00 Aerodigestive disease related to BOAS and Folded Palatoplasty (Gilles Dupré)
15:00 – 15 :45 Pharyngeal and other laryngeal diseases and surgery (Sara Janssens)
15:45 – 16 :15 Coffee Break
16 :15 – 17 :15 Laryngeal paralysis (Gilles Dupré)
17:15 – 17:45 Discussion

Wednesday, 27 August 2025 - Veterinary faculty

09:00 – 17:00 Upper airways surgery lab / Endoscopy lab
• Rhinoplasty
• Folded Flap palatoplasty
• Head and neck anatomy
• Laryngeal paralysis
Social dinner

Thursday, 28 August 2025 - Hotel Mercure

08:30 – 09:00 Anatomy & physiology of the ears (Gert ter Haar)
09:00 – 09:45 Aural hematoma and pinnectomy (Sara Janssens)
09:45 – 10:45 Otitis externa; decision making (Gert ter Haar)
10:45 – 11:15 Coffee Break
11:15 – 12:00 Surgical procedures for external ear canal diseases (Sara Janssens)
12:00 – 13:00 Middle ear disease and surgery in dogs (Gert ter Haar)
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:00 Middle ear disease and surgery in cats (including polyps) (Gert ter Haar)
15:00 – 15:45 Surgical diseases thyroids / parathyroids (Gert ter Haar)
15:45 – 16:15 Coffee Break
16:15 – 17:00 Surgical diseases of the salivary glands (Sara Janssens)
17:00 – 17:30 Reconstructive surgery of head and neck: an introduction (Sara Janssens)

Friday, 29 August 2025 - Veterinary faculty

Ear and neck surgery lab
• Zepp procedure
• VECA, TECA
• LBO, VBO
• Access to the neck, Trachea, (para)thyroid Sx, Salivary gland removal

Saturday, 30 August 2025 - Hotel Mercure

09:00 – 10:00 Stridor (Gert ter Haar)
10:00 – 10:30 Nasopharyngeal diseases (dog and cat) (Gert ter Haar)
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 11:45 Neck Trauma: Bite wounds, stick injuries (Sara Janssens)
11:45 – 13 :00 Tracheal diseases including collapse, trauma, tracheotomy (Gert ter Haar)
13:00 – 14 :00 Lunch Break and course evaluation
14 :00 – 16:00 Wrap-up sessions/Cases of delegates/discussion