Lectures

Prof. Dr. Nathalie Roche – Facial Transplantation

Prof. Dr. Nathalie Roche will give a lecture on facial transplantation, one of the most complex procedures in reconstructive surgery. During this session, she will discuss the surgical challenges and the life-changing impact these procedures can have on patients.

Prof. Dr. Roche is a plastic surgeon at UZ Gent, specialized in pediatric plastic surgery and head and neck reconstruction. Her work focuses on complex reconstructive procedures and improving functional and aesthetic outcomes for patients.

Prof. Dr. Filip Rega – Elective Heart Transplantation & Organ Preservation

Prof. Dr. Filip Rega will present a lecture on elective heart transplantation and innovative techniques for heart preservation. The session will explore how modern preservation methods allow donor hearts to be maintained outside the body for longer periods, improving transplantation logistics and outcomes.

Prof. Dr. Rega is a cardiac surgeon at UZ Leuven with expertise in valve surgery, congenital heart defects, cardiac arrhythmias, and heart transplantation. He is actively involved in advancing cardiac surgery and transplantation techniques.

Lecture – The Evolution and Future of Liver Transplantation

Prof. Dr. Diethard Monbaliu

During this lecture, Prof. Dr. Diethard Monbaliu, abdominal transplant surgeon at UZ Leuven, will share insights from his extensive clinical experience in liver transplantation. The session will explore how the field of abdominal transplantation has evolved over the course of his career, highlighting important milestones, technological advances, and clinical breakthroughs that have shaped modern transplant surgery.

Drawing from his perspective at the forefront of the field, Prof. Dr. Monbaliu will discuss key challenges and developments in liver transplantation and reflect on how surgical practice, organ preservation, and patient outcomes have changed over time. The lecture will also look ahead to the future of abdominal transplantation, with particular attention to emerging innovations and areas of research that may transform the field in the years to come.

Prof. Dr. Christophe Dooms – Post-Transplant Complications & Innovation in Robotic Endoscopy

Prof. Dr. Christophe Dooms will deliver a lecture on complications that can occur after thoracic transplantation, with a particular focus on the respiratory system and the role of advanced endoscopic techniques in diagnosis and management. The session will highlight how early detection and minimally invasive bronchoscopic interventions can improve outcomes for transplant patients.

In the second part of the lecture, Prof. Dr. Dooms will discuss recent innovations in robotic endoscopy and how these technologies are transforming the field of interventional pulmonology. Special attention will be given to the potential of robotic platforms to enhance precision, navigation, and therapeutic possibilities within the airways.

Workshops

Organ Recovery Systems Hands-on Workshop – Kidney Transport & Vascular Cannulation

During this hands-on workshop, participants will gain practical insight into kidney transport technology and vascular cannulation techniques. The session will focus on how organs are preserved and prepared for transplantation using specialized perfusion machines.

The workshop will be given by Ines Van Heesbeke, an expert from ORS (Organ Recovery Systems), a global leader in organ preservation technology. Participants will have the opportunity to work with real equipment used in transplantation medicine and learn about the crucial steps that ensure organ viability between donation and transplantation.

Liver Splitting Workshop – Prof. Dr. Niki Rashidian & Prof. Dr. Hasan Eker

During this hands-on workshop, students will be introduced to the technique of liver splitting, an advanced procedure used in liver transplantation to allow a single donor liver to benefit multiple recipients. Participants will work with real porcine livers, using surgical instruments and metallic clips to simulate key steps of the procedure.

The session will be guided by Prof. Dr. Niki Rashidian and Prof. Dr. Hasan Eker, surgeons from the Department of General and Hepatobiliary Surgery at UZ Gent. Both specialists are actively involved in complex hepatobiliary surgery and transplantation procedures.

Vascular Anastomosis Workshop – Transplantation Surgery

In this practical workshop, students will learn how to perform a vascular anastomosis, a crucial surgical technique used when implanting transplanted organs. Under the guidance of experienced surgeons, participants will practice advanced suturing skills and gain insight into the precision required during transplantation surgery.

The workshop will be led by Prof. Dr. Niki Rashidian and Prof. Dr. Hasan Eker, experts in hepatobiliary and transplant surgery, who will share practical tips and techniques from their clinical experience.

Da Vinci Robot Workshop – Robotic Vascular Suturing

This event’s Da Vinci robot workshop will be more challenging than before. Participants will practice vascular anastomosis on real blood vessel specimens, allowing them to experience the precision required when suturing with a surgical robot.

The workshop offers a unique opportunity to explore robot-assisted surgery, a rapidly evolving field that is increasingly used in complex abdominal and transplant procedures.

Laparoscopic Skills Workshop – Simendo Surgical Simulators

During this interactive hands-on workshop, students will be introduced to the fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery using the Simendo surgical simulators. Participants will have the opportunity to practice essential minimally invasive surgical skills such as hand-eye coordination, instrument handling, and precise tissue manipulation in a realistic virtual environment.

The session allows students to experience how surgical simulation is used in modern surgical training to develop technical proficiency in a safe and controlled setting. By working with the Simendo simulators, participants will gain insight into the techniques and challenges of laparoscopic procedures that are widely applied in abdominal and transplant surgery.

Laparoscopic Skills Workshop – TASKit Training System

During this interactive hands-on workshop, students will be introduced to the fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery using the TASKit (Train Anywhere Skill Kit) developed by Ethicon Endo-Surgery. Participants will practice essential minimally invasive surgical skills such as hand-eye coordination, instrument control, and precision movements within a compact simulation environment.

The TASKit allows trainees to perform validated laparoscopic training exercises, including peg transfer, pattern cutting, and basic suturing tasks, which are commonly used in the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) curriculum. Through these exercises, students will gain practical insight into how surgeons develop the technical skills required for minimally invasive procedures, including those used in abdominal and transplant surgery.