ESU Course in Romania highlights what's new in BPO surgical management
The European School of Urology (ESU) brought its educational expertise to the 42nd National Congress of the Romanian Association of Urology (ROMURO 2026), held in Poiana Brașov, a picturesque alpine resort nestled in the Carpathian Mountains and one of Romania’s most renowned destinations.
Key messages to keep in mind
As part of the scientific programme, the ESU organised a dedicated three-hour educational course focused on the contemporary surgical management of benign prostatic obstruction (BPO).
The course attracted a highly engaged audience and combined evidence-based recommendations, expert surgical insights, and interactive discussion, perfectly reflecting the educational mission of the ESU.
The faculty included Prof. Panagiotis Kallidonis (GR) and Prof. Alberto Olivero (IT), both internationally recognised experts in the field of endourology and minimally invasive surgery.
The experts provided several important take-home messages such as:
- Treatment of BPO should be individualised and tailored to each patient’s characteristics, expectations, and comorbidities.
- Endoscopic enucleation techniques continue to establish themselves as highly effective and durable treatment options across a broad range of prostate sizes.
- Minimally invasive surgical therapy (MIST) procedures represent an increasingly important component of the therapeutic armamentarium but require careful patient selection and counselling.
- Complication prevention and management remain essential elements of surgical excellence and urological training.
- Continuous education and international collaboration are fundamental to maintaining high standards of patient care.
Prof. Alberto Olivero`s message regarding complications in MISTs was: "MISTs remain among the safest surgical option for BPO, however rare severe complications are documented".
More novel recommendations and techniques
Through a series of focused lectures, participants were guided through the latest EAU Guidelines recommendations, contemporary surgical techniques, and the evolving role of minimally invasive treatment options for BPO. Discussions addressed the growing complexity of treatment selection in an era where multiple effective surgical and minimally invasive options are available.
Particular attention was given to endoscopic enucleation techniques and the management of procedure-related complications. Beyond technical aspects, the faculty shared practical insights into preventing, recognising and managing challenging intraoperative and postoperative situations. These lectures underscored the importance of structured training, surgical experience and adherence to best-practice principles in achieving optimal patient outcomes.
As technological innovation continues to expand treatment possibilities for patients with lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to BPO, participants explored both the benefits and limitations of different surgical approaches. The importance of appropriate patient selection, realistic counselling, and long-term outcome evaluation emerged as recurring themes throughout the discussion.
Another key component of the programme addressed the robotic assisted simple prostatectomy and the management of perioperative complications. Faculty members reviewed contemporary indications and practical strategies for managing difficult cases, providing valuable take-home messages applicable to daily clinical practice.
The course concluded with an interactive case discussion involving ESU faculty and Romanian speakers Dr. Dan Stanca, Dr. Leonard Ostafi, and Dr. Raul Florean. Clinical scenarios encouraged participants to apply EAU Guidelines recommendations to real-world situations and stimulated a lively exchange of perspectives among faculty members and audience participants alike.
A genuine knowledge exchange
Beyond the scientific content, the ESU course highlighted the value of international educational partnerships and the strong collaboration between the ESU and the Romanian Association of Urology. The active participation of the audience, the quality of the discussions and the openness of the faculty transformed the course into far more than a series of lectures. It became a genuine exchange of knowledge, experience, and ideas among colleagues committed to advancing urological care.
The Romanian Association of Urology would like to express its sincere gratitude to the ESU, the invited faculty and all participants who contributed to the success of this educational event. We look forward to continuing our collaboration and welcoming future ESU initiatives to Romania.