Scientific Program

SATURDAY, JUNE 24th, 2023

14:00-14:10 Introduction to the Course
Federico Di Rocco
14:10-15:40  SESSION I: INTRODUCTION TO THE CVJ
14:10-14:30 Martin Catala: Embryology of posterior fossa and foramen magnum
14:30-14:40 Federico Di Rocco: Role of FGFR in the growth of the posterior fossa and foramen magnum in children
14:40-14:55 Martin Catala: Normal growth of CVJ in children and growth related modifications
14:55-15:10 Sniya Sudhakar: Radiological analysis of posterior fossa and foramen magnum and  growth changes
15:10-15:25 Timothée Jacquesson: Essential surgical landmarks of posterior fossa and foramen magnum
15:25-15:40  Discussion
15:40-17:00 SESSION 2: CHIARI
15:40-16:00 Concezio Di Rocco: Why we should stop to call it a malformation.
16:00-16:20 Sniya  Sudhakar: Radiology of Chiari type 1 malformation
16:20-16:40 Federico Di Rocco: Chiari type 1:  the importance of associated anomalies
16:40-17.00 Martina Messing-Jünger: Complications after Chiari malformation type 1 surgery and their avoidance
17.00-17:20 BREAK
 17:20-18:15 SESSION 2 (Continued):  CHIARI
17:20-17:35 Gianpiero Tamburrini: Chiari type 1: Spectrum of surgical techniques and  surgical algorithm in children
17:35-17:50 Steven Knafo: Chiari type 1: surgical algorithm in adults
17:50-18:05 Nobuhito Morota: Evaluation of the results in Chiari type 1 surgery
18:05-18:15 Federico Di Rocco: Presentation of ESPN Failed Chiari Surgery registry.
18:15-19:15 SESSION 3 CASE FOR DISCUSSION
Gianpiero Tamburrini 
Nobuhito Morota
Alexandru Szathmari
Dominic Thompson
Massimiliano Visocchi

SUNDAY, JUNE 25th, 2023

08:00-10:30 SESSION 4: CVJ INSTABILITY IN CHILDREN
08:00-08:20 Nobuhito Morota: Epidemiology of CVJ trauma, indications for imaging (what and when) and initial management
08:20-08:40 Sara Cabet: Imaging in pediatric CVJ trauma (acute phase and follow-up)
08:40-09:00 Sandip Chatterjee: Introduction to the CVJ stability in children
09:00-09:20 Alexandru Szathmari: Criteria for CVJ instability at the clinical examination: what to ask, what to search for
09:20-09:40 Sniya Sudhakar: Criteria for CVJ instability at the radiological examination: what to ask, what to search for
09:40-10:00 Dominic Thompson: Clinical cases of CVJ instability / How I evaluate it
10:00-10:30 Discussion
10:30-11:00 BREAK
11:00-12:30 SESSION 4 (Continued): CVJ INSTABILITY IN CHILDREN
11:00-11:20 Massimiliano Visocchi: Principles of CVJ stabilization: indications, biomechanics, long term results
11:20-11:30 Nobuhito Morota: Principles of non surgical stabilization: when, how and how long
11:30-11:45 Dominic Thompson: Occipito-cervical stabilisation – when and how
11:45-12:05 Sandip Chatterjee: Clinical cases of surgical stabilization
12:05-12:30 Discussion
12:30-14:00 Lunch Break
14:00-15:05 SESSION 5: CVJ CONGENITAL PATHOLOGIES
14:00-14:15 Federico Di Rocco: CVJ in ACH
14:15-14:30 Nobuhito Morota: ACH case discussion
14:30-14:45 Luca Massimi: CVJ in MPS (indications for surgery and surgical principles)
14:45-15:05 Sandip Chatterjee: MPS and other malformations case discussion
15:05-16:25 SESSION 6: CRANIO-VERTEBRAL JUNCTION TRAUMA
15:05-15:25 Dominic Thompson: The evaluation of childhood torticollis
15:25-15:45 Sandip Chatterjee: The spectrum of Atlanto-Axial Dislocations
15:45-16:05 Massimiliano Visocchi: Fractures of the CVJ in children. Diagnosis, management and indications for surgery (anterior or posterior)
 16:05-16:25 Douglas Brockmeyer: CVJ trauma case discussion
16:25-17:20 SESSION 7:  CVJ TUMORAL LESIONS MANAGEMENT
16:25-16:40 Douglas Brockmeyer: Spinal tumor removal in children at the cervical level, pitfalls and tricks for reconstruction and stabilization
16:40-17:00 Alexandre Vasiljevic: Spectrum of Cervical spine tumoral lesions
17:00-17:20 Sandip Chatterjee: CVJ tumors case discussion
17:20 -17:45 Break
17:45-18:30 SESSION 8: OUTCOME
17:45-18:00 Dominic Thompson: What happens after surgery: Spine evolution after CVJ fixation
18:00-18:15 Sandip Chatterjee: Redo surgeries for CVJ pathologies, why and when
18:15-18:30 Nobuhito Morota: Long-term results in terms of ossification, stability and clinical results
18:30

SESSION 9: MEET THE EXPERTS

Case presentation for advice from the audience

MONDAY, JUNE 26th, 2023

08:00-09:00 SESSION 10 : Surgical techniques – Part 1: Posterior approach to the CVJ
08:00-08:15 Pierre-Aurelien Beuriat: Surgical landmarks of the skull and posterior cervical spine: 3D Study
08:15-08:30 Massimiliano Visocchi: How I do it: posterior instrumentation in children
08:30-08:45 Douglas Brockmeyer: Practical aspects: How I chose my plate and my screws and where I put it: occiput, C1 lateral mass, C2 pedicle, C2 lamina, C2 pars, C1-C2…
08:45-09:00 Discussion
09:00-12:00 HANDS-ON WORKSHOP: C0-C2; C1-C2 fixation
12:00-13:00 Luncheon Satellite Symposium 
13:00-14:10 SESSION 10: Surgical techniques – Part 2: Approach to the subaxial spine
13:00-13:15 Alexandru Szathmari: Surgical landmarks of the anterior cervical spine
13:15-13:45 Sandip Chatterjee: When to approach to the cervical and subaxial spine anteriorly in children
13:45-14:00 Massimiliano Visocchi: Anterior and anterolateral approach of the subaxial spine
14:00-14:10 Discussion
14:15-17:00 HANDS-ON WORKSHOP: Anterior approach of the subaxial spine (C3) and C3 posterior fixation
17:20-17:35 Douglas Brockmeyer: Complications of CVJ fixation and how to avoid them
17:35-17:50 Dominic Thompson: Short- and long-term risks of posterior instrumentation in children
 17:50-18:05 Sandip Chatterjee: Specific problems of complex congenital CVJ malformations
18:05-18:30 PANEL DISCUSSION: Indications for lateral mass screw, C2 pedicle screw, pars screw, lamina screw, C1-C2 transarticular screw, plates…How to choose

TUESDAY, JUNE 27th, 2023  

08:00-09:00  SESSION 10: Surgical techniques – Part 3: transoral approach
08:00-08:15 Pierre-Aurelien Beuriat: Anatomy for the transoral approach
08:15-08:30 Alexandru Szathmari: How I do a transoral decompression: principles and indications
08:30-08:45 Massimiliano Visocchi: Complications of transoral decompression and their avoidance
08:45-09:00  Discussion
09:00-12:30  HANDS-ON WORKSHOP: Transoral decompression
12:30-13:30  Luncheon Satellite Symposium
13:30-15:00 SESSION 10: Surgical techniques – Part 4: Occipito-cervical decompression
13:30-13:45 Nobuhito Morota: Posterior fossa decompression: principles and indications
13:45-14:00 Federico Di Rocco: Posterior vault expansion principles and techniques
14:00-14:15 Dominic Thompson: Posterior fossa decompression: when, why and how I perform a duraplasty
14:15-14:30 Nejat Akalan: Tricks and tips of dural opening  and tonsils' management
14:30-14:45 Carmine Mottolese: Closure after posterior fossa decompression. Tips and tricks
14:45-15:00 Discussion
15.00-17:00 HANDS-ON WORKSHOP: Occipito-cervical decompression
17:00-17:30 SESSION 10: SURGICAL COMPLICATIONS
17:00-17:20 Dominic Thompson: Specific problems in managing the CVJ in very young children
17:20-17:30 Discussion
17:30  Evaluation of the course