Scientific Program

BASIC TECHNIQUES

Monday • February 2, 2026
Endoscopic 3rd ventriculostomy and septostomy
08:00-10:30 SESSION 1: Instruments – Anatomy – Applied technologies (available during hands-on)

Chairpersons: Giuseppe Cinalli, Wan Tew Seow
08:00–08:05 Domenico d’Avella: Welcome address (SINCH President)
08:05–08:15 Giuseppe Cinalli: Course overview & objectives
08:15–08:25 Nicola Onorini: Endoscope basics & instrumentation
08:25–08:35 Claudio Schonauer: Ventricular endoscopic anatomy
08:40–08:50 Corrado Iaccarino: Neuronavigation in neuroendoscopy
08:55–09:05 Bassel Zebian: Ultrasonic aspirator in neuroendoscopy
09:10–09:20 Giorgio Carrabba: 3D exoscopy
09:25–09:35 Andrea Carai: Robot-assisted neuroendoscopy
09:40–10:05 Industry Presentations
For more information click here
10:10-11:00 SESSION 2: ETV
   Chairperson: Sergey Gorelyshev, Suresh Sankhla
10:10–10:30 Adrian Caceres: Preop evaluation of aqueductal stenosis and indications to ETV
10:35–10:45 Esperanza Arcas Navarrete: ETV: Surgical technique
10:50–11:00 Stefan Wolfsberger: Complications avoidance in ETV and Neuroendoscopy
11:00–11:10 Llewellyn Padayachy: Ultrasound in Neuroendoscopy
11:10-11:30 Coffee Break
11:30-13:00 Hands on-Anatomical and Animal models
13:00-14:00 Lunch Break
14:00-16:30 Hands on-Anatomical and Animal models
16:30-16:45 Coffee Break
16:45-17:45 SESSION 3: ETV & Septostomy
   Chairperson: Adrian Caceres
16:45–16:55 Piero Spennato: ETV long-term outcomes
17:00–17:10 Manas Panigrahi: Re-do ETV: Complications and results
17:15–17:35 Onur Ozgural: Septostomy: indications and surgical technique
17:40-18:30 SESSION 4: Clinical Cases | ETV & Septostomy
  Instructors: Francesca Vitulli, Paul Chumas, Ricardo Santos de Oliveira
Each instructor presents 3 cases and is allotted 15’.
   
Tuesday • February 3, 2026
Complex hydrocephalus
08:00-10:20 SESSION 5: Complex Hydrocephalus
  Chairperson: Ulrich Thomale
08:00–08:10 Gianpiero Tamburrini: Multiloculated hydrocephalus: classification / radiology / surgical techniques
08:15–08:25 Samer Elbabaa: ETV and Myelomeningocele
08:30–08:40 Ricardo Santos de Oliveira: ETV and shunt malfunction
08:45–08:55 Industry Presentations
For more information click here
09:00–09:10 Ulrich Thomale: Ventricular washing in PHH in prematures
09:15–09:25 Artur da Cunha: Choroid plexus coagulation: indications, technique, results
09:30–09:40 Allegra Cinalli: ETV in low/negative pressure hydrocephalus
09:40–09:50 José Arenas: Endoscopic treatment of brain abscess and ventriculitis
09:50–10:00 Tenoch Herrada-Pineda: Neurocysticercosis
10:00–10:10 Alessia Imperato: Isolated 4th ventricle and Aqueductoplasty
10:10–10:20 Suresh Sankhla: ETV in Tuberculous meningitis
10:20-11:30 SESSION 6: Arachnoid cysts
  Chairperson: Fernando Chico Ponce de Leon 
10:20–10:30 François Lechanoine: Arachnoid cysts: classification and radiology
10:30–10:40 Flavio Giordano: Sylvian cysts: endoscopic surgical technique
10:45–10:55 Alshafai Nabeel: Suprasellar cysts: endoscopic surgical technique
11:00–11:10 Sebastian Jaimovich: Interhemispheric cysts: endoscopic surgical technique
11:15–11:25 Jonathan Roth: Posterior fossa cysts: endoscopic surgical technique
11:30-11:50 Coffee Break
11:50-13:00 Hands on-Anatomical and Animal models
13:00-14:00 Lunch Break
14:00-16:30 Hands on-Anatomical and Animal models
16:30-16:45 Coffee Break
16:45-18:15 SESSION 7: Clinical Cases: Complex Hydrocephalus and Arachnoid Cysts
  Chairperson: Jonathan Roth
Instructors: Wan Tew Seow, Valentina Pennacchietti, Sebastian Jaimovich
Each instructor presents 3 cases and is allotted 15’.
17:45-18:15 VIDEO SESSION | Complex hydrocephalus
  Chairperson: Gianpiero Tamburrini
Instructors: Mohamed el Beltagy, Claudio Ruggiero, Artur da Cunha
Each instructor presents 3 videos and is allotted 15’.
   

ADVANCED TECHNIQUES

Wednesday • February 4, 2026
08:00-09:20 SESSION 8: Different indications
  Chairperson: Alvaro Cordoba
08:00–08:10 Hisayuki Murai: Endoscopy in parenchymal haemorrhage
08:15–08:25 Alberto Feletti: Endoscopy in intraventricular haemorrhage
08:30–08:40 Alvaro Cordoba: Endoscope-assisted microsurgery in brain tumors
08:40–08:50 Henry Schroeder: Endoscope-assisted microsurgery in vascular surgery
08:50–09:00 Sandi Lam: Endoscopic callosotomy and hemispherotomy
09:00–09:20 Hans Delye: Endoscopic repair of craniosynostosis
09:20-10:30 SESSION 9: Endoscopy in tumor management
  Chairperson: Henry Schroeder
09:20–09:30 Mohamed el Beltagy: Role of Endoscopy in Infantile and Pediatric brain tumors
09:35–09:45 Kenichi Nishiyama: ETV in pineal tumors: indications, technique
09:50–10:00 Miwa Tomoru: Tumor biopsy / removal: surgical technique
10:05–10:15 Piero Spennato: Tumor biopsy with normal ventricles
10:20–10:30 Sergey Gorelyshev: Endoscope-assisted microsurgery in craniopharyngiomas and suprasellar lesions
10:30-11:40 SESSION 10: Craniopharyngiomas – Miscellaneous
  Chairperson: Sandi Lam
10:30–10:40 Valentina Pennacchietti: Craniopharyngiomas: ventricular approach
10:45–10:55 Nagasaka Shohei: Colloid cyst
11:00–11:10 Piero Spennato: ETV and posterior fossa tumors
11:15–11:25 Kazuhito Takeuchi: Cylinder tumor surgery
11:30–11:40 Joachim Oertel: Endoscopic Eyebrow approach
11:40-12:00 Coffee Break
12.00-13.00 Hands on-Anatomical and Animal models
13:00-14:00 Lunch Break
14.00-16.30 Hands on-Anatomical and Animal models
16:30-16:45 Coffee Break
16:45-18:15 SESSION 11: Clinical Cases: Endoscopic Tumor Surgery & Video Session
  Chairperson: Joachim Oertel
16:45-17:15 Peng Zhao: Endoport technique in Intraventricular tumor (video presentation)
17:15-18:15 VIDEO SESSION | Endoscopic Tumor surgery
  Instructors: Sandi Lam, Giulia Meccariello, Sergey Gorelyshev
Each instructor presents 3 videos and is allotted 15’.
   

ADVANCED SKULLBASE SEGMENT

Thursday • February 5th, 2026
Endoscopic Approaches to Sellar and Parasellar Regions
08:00-08:15 Welcome and event presentation
Luigi Maria Cavallo, Domenico Solari
08:15-10:00 SESSION 12: Endoscopic Endonasal approach to Sellar Region and Cavernous sinus
   Chairperson: Waleed Azab
08:15-08:25 Bertrand Bassaurt: Endonasal approach for pituitary adenomas
08:30-08:40 Hiroshi Nishioka: Endonasal approach to Cavernous Sinus
08:45-08:55 Domenico Solari: Endonasal approach for craniopharyngiomas
09:00-09:10 Waleed Azab: Endonasal approach for rare sellar lesions
09:15-09:25 Francesco Zenga: Adjunctive tools to endonasal skull base surgery
09:30-09:40 Kazuhito Takeuchi: ICA injury model in transsphenoidal surgery
09:45-10:00 Henry Schroeder: Endoscope-assisted supraorbital approach
10:00-10:15 Discussion & Networking break
10:15-13:15 Hands-on Cadaveric Specimens
13:15-14:00 Lunch Break
14:00-16:00 Hands-on Cadaveric Specimens
16:00-16:15 Coffee break
16:15-18:00 SESSION 13: Advanced Endoscopic approaches to Skull Base
  Chairperson: Michael Brunëau
16:15-16:25 Luigi Maria Cavallo: Endonasal approaches for ASB meningiomas
16:30-16:40 Michael Bruneau: Minimally invasive approaches for ACF meningiomas
16:45-16:55 Sebastien Froelich: The endoscope in posterior fossa meningioma surgery
17:00-17:10 Emmanuel Jouanneau: Transcranial and endonasal route for Trigeminal Schwannomas
17:15-17:25 Diego Mazzatenta: Endonasal approaches for clival chordomas
17:30-17:40 Maurizio Iacoangeli: Endoscopic approach to the CVJ
17:45-18:00 Discussion
   
Friday • February 6th, 2026
Endoscopic and Exoscopic Approaches to the Skull Base
08:30-10:00 SESSION 14: Endoscopic and Exoscopic Approaches to the Skull Base (Part A)
  Chairperson: Luigi Maria Cavallo 
08:15-08:25 Teresa Somma: Principles & Training with Robotic Exoscope in neurosurgery
08:30-08:40 Ramin Eskandari: Robotic Exoscope Use for Microsurgical Cranial Approaches
08:45-08:55 Waleed Azab: Endoscopic approaches in skull base surgery
09:00-09:10 Matteo de Notaris: Transorbital eyelid approach. Anatomy
09:15-09:25 Calvin Mak: Extended endoscopic transorbital surgery
09:30-09:40 Paola Bonavolontà, Antonio Romano & Giovanni Dell’Aversana Orabona: Endonasal & Transorbital complementarity
09:45-10:00 Discussion
10:00-10:15 Networking break
10:15-13:00 Hands-on Cadaveric Specimens
13:00-14:00 Lunch Break
14:00-16:00 Hands-on Cadaveric Specimens
16:00-16:15 Coffee break
16:15-18:00 SESSION 14: Endoscopic and Exoscopic Approaches to the Skull Base (Part B)
  Chairperson: Felice Esposito 
16:15-16:25 Mateus Dal Fabbro: Cystic lesions of the sellar region
16:30-16:40 Felice Esposito: Tips and tricks for skull base reconstruction
16:45-16:55 Giuseppe Minniti: Radiotherapy for skull base tumors
17:00-18:00 VIDEO SESSION
  Ramin, Eskandari, Ilaria Bove, Elena D’Avella,  Gokmen Kahilogullary, Matteo de Notaris 
   

SPINE SEGMENT

Thursday • February 5th, 2026
08.00-10.00 SESSION: INTRODUCTION AND LUMBAR DISC HERNIATION
08:00-08:30 Welcoming of Participants
08:30-08:40 Introduction and Presentation of the course
Giuseppe Cinalli, Claudio Schonauer, François Lechanoine
08:40-09:20 Session 1
Chairpersons: Claudio Schonauer, Ashwinkumar Khandge, Marco Baldassa
08:40-08:50 Andrea Fanti: Monoportal Endoscopy: Basic Concepts and Surgical Setup
08:50-09:00 Frank Hassel: Monoportal Endoscopy: Learning Curve – How to overcome it
09:00-09:10 Gabriele Capo: Biportal Endoscopy: Basic Concepts, and Surgical Setup
09:10-09:20 François Lechanoine: Biportal Endoscopy: Learning Curve – How to overcome it
09:20-10:00 Session 2
Chairpersons: Francesco Costa, Andrea Fanti, Joseph Cristini
09:20-09:30  Antonio Scarale: Monoportal Transforaminal Discectomy: How I do It
09:30-09:40  Marco Baldassa: Monoportal Interlaminar Discectomy: How I do it
09:40-09:50 Joseph Cristini: Biportal Interlaminar Discectomy: How I do It
09:50-10:00 Sebastian Senger: Monoportal Endoscopic-Tubular System: Indications and Specificity
10:00-10:30 COFFEE BREAK
10:30-13:30 SESSION HANDS-ON – LUMBAR DISC HERNIATION
Group A (Upsurgeon simulators)
10:30-11:30 Biportal Interlaminar Discectomy
11:30-12:30 Monoportal Transforaminal Discectomy
12:20-13:30 Biportal Extraforaminal Discectomy
(10:30-13:30) Biportal Virtual Reality on UBE XR Simulator (Virtualisurg simulators) 
     
Group B (Upsurgeon simulators)
10:30-11:30 Monoportal Transforaminal Discectomy
11:30-12:30 Biportal Interlaminar Discectomy
12:30-13:30 Monoportal Interlaminar Discectomy
13:30-14:30 LUNCH
14:30-16:30 SESSION HANDS-ON – LUMBAR CANAL STENOSIS
Group A (Upsurgeon simulators)
14:30-15:30 Monoportal Interlaminar Discectomy
15:30-16:30 Biportal over-the-top laminectomy
                     
Group B (Upsurgeon simulators)
14:30-15:30 Biportal Extraforaminal Discectomy
15:30-16:30 Monoportal over-the-top laminectomy
(14:30-16:30) Biportal Virtual Reality on UBE XR Simulator (Virtualisurg simulators)
16:30-17:00 COFFEE BREAK
17:00-18:30 SESSION: LUMBAR CANAL STENOSIS AND FORAMINAL STENOSIS
17:00-17:10 Claudio Schonauer, François Lechanoine: Debriefing of the Hands-on sessions, Q&A
17:10-17:50 Session 3
Chairpersons: Frank Hassel, Gabriele Capo, Antonio Scarale
17:10-17:20 Andrea Fanti: Monoportal Transforaminal: Foraminal Anatomy
17:20-17:30 Ashwinkumar Khandge: Right Sided approaches in UBE
17:30-17:40 François Lechanoine: Biportal extraforaminal approach for foraminotomy or discectomy: How I do it
17:40-17:50 Frank Hassel: Monoportal interlaminar approach for over-the top laminectomy: How I do it
17:50-18:40 Session 4
Chairpersons: Sebastian Senger, Claudio Schonauer, Andrea Fanti
17:50-18:00 Joseph Cristini: Biportal interlaminar approach for over-the-top laminectomy: How I do it
18:00-18:10 Francesco Costa: Cervical Microscopic Tubular Foraminotomy
18:10-18:20 Gabriele Capo: Complications Management in Biportal Endoscopy
 18:20-18:30  Antonio Scarale: Complications Management in Monoportal Endoscopy
 18:30-18:40  Discussion – Faculty Panel
   
Friday • February 6th, 2026
08:30-10:00 SESSION: ADVANCED INDICATIONS
08:30-08:40 Claudio Schonauer, François Lechanoine: Debriefing of the first day and Presentation of the “choose your approach” Hands-on session
 08:40-09:20 Session 5
Chairpersons: Joseph Cristini, Marco Baldassa, Sebastian Senger
 08:40-08:50 Ricardo Casal Grau: Endoscopic Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Monoportal Options
08:50-09:00 Ashwinkumar Khandge: Endoscopic Lumbar Interbody Fusion: UBE TLIF
09:00-09:10 Frank Hassel: Cervical Monoportal Foraminotomy and posterior Discectomy
09:10-09:20 Marco Baldassa: Cervical Monoportal Foraminotomy and Laminectomy
09:20-10:00 Session 6
Chairpersons: Ricardo Casal Grau, Ashwinkumar Khandge, Frank Hassel
09:20-09:30 François Lechanoine: Cervical Biportal Foraminotomy and posterior Discectomy
09:30-09:40 Joseph Cristini: Cervical Biportal Laminectomy and extended, complexes indications
09:40-09:50 Ricardo Casal Grau: Extended and complexes indications in Monoportal Endoscopy
09:50-10:00 So, Monoportal or Biportal? – Interactive Expert Debate & Audience Q&A
10:00-10:30 COFFEE BREAK
10:30-13:30 SESSION: HANDS-ON “CHOOSE YOUR APPROACH”
Cervical Foraminotomy, Microdiscectomy and Laminectomy

Group A (Upsurgeon simulators)
10:30-11:30 Monoportal over-the-top laminectomy
11:30-12:30 Biportal Session: Cervical Foraminotomy and Laminectomy OR Lumbar Interlaminar or Extraforaminal or Interbody Fusion
12:30-13:30 Monoportal Session: Cervical Foraminotomy and Laminectomy OR Lumbar Transforaminal OR Interlaminar OR Interbody Fusion
(10.30-13.30) Biportal Virtual Reality on UBE XR Simulator (Virtualisurg simulators)
                     
Group B (Upsurgeon simulators)
10:30-11:30 Biportal over-the-top laminectomy
11:30-12:30 Monoportal Session: Cervical OR Foraminotomy and Laminectomy OR Lumbar Transforaminal OR Interlaminar OR Interbody Fusion
12:30-13:30 Biportal Session: Cervical Foraminotomy and Laminectomy OR Lumbar Interlaminar OR Extraforaminal OR Interbody Fusion
(10:30-13:30) Biportal Virtual Reality on UBE XR Simulator (Virtualisurg simulators)
13.30 END OF THE COURSE