TNMU Department Assistant participated in the World’s Largest Gastroenterology Congress – 27th UEG Week (Barcelona)
UEG (United European Gastroenterology) is a non-profit professional organisation combining the leading European medical specialist and national associations focussing on digestive organs health. In total, it represents more than 30,000 specialists in all fields of gastroenterology. The role of this organization is take joint efforts to learn more about digestive diseases through their prevention, research, diagnosis, treatment and raisning awareness of their importance.
Each year, this public association organizes a major conference – UEG Week 24/7. This year, a large-scale event took place in Barcelona, during which participants had the opportunity to listen to over 550 scientific lectures, to communicate with colleagues from all over the world.
Official statistics of the Congress can be seen on this infographic (photo from ueg.eu).
The Congress brought together gastroenterologists, surgeons, endoscopists, oncologists, immunologists, endocrinologists, radiologists and specialists in many other fields. There were 13126 participants from 122 countries worldwide. Ternopil National Medical University was represented by Stepan Hrytsenko, Assistant of the L. Ya. Kovalchuk Department of Surgery No. 1, Urology, Minimally Invasive Surgery and Neurosurgery.
It was extremely valuable that the program was not only theoretical but also practical. Many venues for master classes were held on the territory of the exhibition center, where the participants of the Congress could develope their skills (ultrasound, endoscopic procedures, laparoscopic basic skills, laparoscopic skills in colorectal surgery and many others).
The main focus of the Congress was on the innovative achievements of endoscopic and minimally invasive techniques. Many reports have proved that endoscopic technologies are replacing the minimally invasive and traditional surgical approaches to the treatment of many diseases. Many other reports were related to the extension of indications to submucosal resections of large polyps on the broad basis, resection of malignant (T1, carcinoma in situ) tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, large duodenal papilla with subsequent stenting of choledochus under the control of endoscope and double-balloon enteroscope, the possibility of endoscopic treatment of morbid obesity (wether endoscopy can replace surgery).
Extremely interesting were the scientific sessions on the methods of early oncoscreening, with particular emphasis on the use of endoscopic chromatography, endomicroscopy, detection of gastric type of intestinal metaplasia associated with neoplastic progression, stratification of risk factors, early detection of atrophic gastritis associated with Helicobacter pylori.
One of the best lectures and, accordingly, the prize for the best groundbreaking research was delivered by scientists from Italy under the supervision of Prof. Silvio Danese. Their work «The gut virome as a trigger for IBD: from metagenomics to pathogenesis» was awarded the UEG Research Prize (for significant progress in proving the viral etiology of inflammatory bowel disease).
At the opening of the Congress with Nobel laureate Peter Malfertheiner, who wished the young scientists “Do not be afraid to change dogma”.
Within 27th UEG Week, TNMU representative also participated in practical courses “LSS Colorectal surgery grade 2 L1” and “Laparoscopic liver resection” held by professors from the UK, Germany and the Netherlands.
These practical courses were interactive, the mentors constantly asked participants questions about the technique of performing laparoscopic surgery, and much time was given to the mistakes that are most commonly made. The practical part of the courses consisted of performing basic skills in laparoscopic surgery, dissection technique and imposition of intestinal anastomoses.
Mentor of the course “Laparoscopic liver resection” Prof. Tung Yu Tsui.
The participant expresses their sincere appreciation to UEG and EDS for on opportunity to participate in UEG Week 2019.
Some congress materials can be found at the following links:
https://www.ueg.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/week2019/UEG2019_Abstract_book.pdf
Below we privide the pages of European associations, a membership of which can give an opportunity to participate in various training grant programs (surgery, oncology, gastroenterology, etc.):
United European Gastroenterology https://www.ueg.eu/
European Society for Medical Oncology http://www.esmo.org/
European Digestive Surgery http://www.edsurgery.org/
European Society of Digestive Oncology http://www.esdo.eu/
European Society of Surgical Oncology http://www.essoweb.org/