EAU 10th SEEM returns to Belgrade

Belgrade will host the EAU 10th South Eastern European Meeting this year from October 24 to 26, the third time the annual meeting will be organised in Serbia and with the aim to consolidate links with urologists in the region and strengthen the training of young doctors.

“We have boosted the format of the SEEM last year by adding competitive debates, more emphasis on ESUT hands-on training, ESU educational courses, EAU highlight lectures and the very popular Country Competition. I am glad to see the enthusiasms of many young urologists and participants, and I am sure this coming meeting will be another successful event,” said Regional Office Chairman Prof. Bob Djavan.

Djavan added that for this year approximately 400 abstracts submissions were received. “Since one of the goals of the regional meetings is to stimulate young urologists to participate, we welcome the enthusiastic response from urologists in the region. We intend to build on this format this year due to the positive impact and experience we have had,” he said.

Belgrade also hosted the first SEEM in 2005 and four years later in 2009. Aside from its central location, Serbian urologists are among the most active participants in the annual meeting with many of its young urologists having won the best poster presentations and abstract awards in previous meetings.

“The first SEEM was in Belgrade 2005, and our urological community enthusiastically participated ever since because this type of medical conference not only fosters many close friendships but also provides the most recent updates and prospects in our specialty,” said meeting chairman Prof. Sava Micic.

Djavan said the EAU’s regional meetings also boost the ties among local urologists, inspiring them to focus on innovative research studies. “We are happy that due to the support of the EAU office, the section offices and other affiliates, we can present a comprehensive programme that touches on various issues in urology,” according to Djavan.

Local challenges

For his part, Micic said that despite the dynamic links with other neighbouring countries, he mentioned some of the challenges Serbian urologists continue to face.

“In Serbia we try to improve our skills when it comes to new technological improvements such as laparoscopy, new diagnostic tools, robotics, but financial pressures are always present when it comes to acquiring high-tech equipment,” he added.

The EAU 10th SEEM will examine major topics in malignant urological disease with the first day covering topics such as diagnosis and management of small renal masses, active surveillance and biopsy techniques in prostate cancer, minimal invasive techniques and high-risk non-invasive bladder cancer, among other issues.

“Like in last year’s SEEM, the Young Urologists Competition will also be part of the programme in Belgrade. The competition, which aims to challenge young doctors, consists of a short presentation and a follow-up Q&A from a panel of judges,” Djavan added. He mentioned that for this year representatives will come from Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Iran, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.

Educational courses during the three-day meeting will present not only hands-on training on laparoscopy and URS but also a course organised by the European School of Urology (ESU) which will tackle issues in andrology and incontinence. EAU Secretary General-Elect Prof. Chris Chapple (UK) was invited to lead the course, together with Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Hatzichristou (GR).

“We have invited top experts to this meeting to Eastern Europe. Not only that since we are reaching out to young urologists we have tried to offer more accessible registration fees for young doctors,” said Djavan.

Aside from the lectures, debates and roundtable discussions, four instructive video presentations will be held on the last day. The video-based lectures ”How I do It” will offer practical and insightful surgical techniques in bladder cancer surgery and reconstruction. The topics to be taken up by experts will include posterior urethral strictures, hypospadia repair, Mansoura cystectomy technique and lymphadenectomy.

Last year, the SEEM meeting attracted almost 500 participants coming from more than 20 countries in and outside Europe. Accepted abstracts total to an average of around 275 every year, with cash prizes awarded to the six best abstracts.

For details on the EAU 10th SEEM visit the meeting website.