ESIR 2024: A successful start in the year

March 29, 2024

The ESIR 2024 year kicked off with two courses held at the Institute of Image-Guided Surgery in Strasbourg, France. Starting with the Ablation from A-Z: Liver, kidney and thyroid course in February led by Prof. Afshin Gangi and Dr. Roberto Luigi Cazzato; followed by the Essentials of Embolization: Coils, plugs, gelfoam and particles course in March, led by Prof. Roberto Iezzi and Dr. Pierleone Lucatelli. By delving into the latest ablation and embolization technologies and procedures, attendees expanded their skill sets and gained confidence in applying innovative techniques in their clinical practice. The hands-on nature of the courses, coupled with simulator sessions, provided an invaluable opportunity for participants to refine their procedural skills. Moreover, the collaborative learning environment supported by enthusiastic faculty members ensured that participants acquired technical expertise, ultimately equipping them to deliver superior patient care.

Ablation from A-Z: Liver, kidney and thyroid

The Ablation from A-Z: Liver, kidney and thyroid course offered insights into the latest ablation technologies, and allowed participants to refine their practical skills in cryoablation, microwave ablation and MRI guided puncturing in the animal lab. Notably, this second iteration of the course included a new focus on thyroid ablation, along with simulator training, led by Julia Weiss and Pramod Rao, enriching the course content. Throughout the course, participants delved into an in-depth understanding of liver, kidney, and thyroid tumours, exploring their epidemiology, current treatments, and the process of patient selection within the MDTB. As a compliment, lectures on imaging guidance and protective measures were also presented. This comprehensive knowledge not only broadened their comprehension of these indications but also equipped them to make informed decisions within a collaborative medical team, optimizing patient care.

Essentials of embolization: Coils, plugs, gelfoam and particles

In the Essentials of embolization: Coils, plugs, gelfoam and particles course, both early-career and seasoned participants explored new devices and found ample opportunity for growth in their practice. Throughout the course, participants learned to select the most suitable devices for various embolization procedures, by learning the technical aspects of gelfoam, coils, particles, and plugs. Case discussions by provided insights into managing challenging scenarios and participants benefitted from expert faculty’s tips and tricks for success. Featuring an entire day of in-vivo animal lab and ex-vivo workshops, participants gained hands-on expertise in deploying coils, particles, plugs, and gelfoam, preparing them to confidently tackle a wide range of clinical situations. Especially popular was the embolization simulation workshop, headed by Tobias Jakobs who enthusiastically guided participants through different scenarios.

Coming up next!

Want to improve your hands-on skills and receive personalized guidance from experts in courses like these? Coming up, you can dive into the intricacies of fundamental spine procedures, in the Spine interventions: Established indications course in Athens/GR; or refine your radioembolization knowledge in the Radioembolization of liver tumours course in Utrecht/NL. ESIR will also be at ECIO in Palma, where we will be having another hands-on TACE competition supported by Mentice. Take part in the competition for a chance to win a free registration to an ESIR course. For more information, please contact [email protected].

Take a closer look at the next two courses or browse all 2024 courses via ESIR Start page below.