The eleventh Neurosurgical Masterclass
From March 3rd to March 5th 2023, the Neurosurgical and Neurological Student Circle of Cluj-Napoca organised a neurosurgical congress on which the Neurosurgical Masterclass was held. This was the eleventh Neurosurgical Masterclass, and it was about neuro-oncology. The event occurred in Cluj-Napoca at NeurotechEU partner University “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
Professor Ioan Ștefan Florian, Victor Volovici, and NeurotechEU student council representative Dragos Font would like to express their gratitude towards all who participated in this event. Because of all the participants, this event has become a unique neurosurgical event.
Eleventh edition
This year, the masterclass saw its highest number of abstracts submitted, which is a testament to the growing interest in neurosurgery and related specialities. Because of the high participation rate, the hosts were able to meet their goals in promoting education and further spreading their knowledge in neurosurgery. This was not only for medical students considering a career in neurology or neurosurgery but also for neurosurgical residents and other related specialities.
During the masterclass, highly experienced neurosurgeons from all over the world offered meaningful insights into the life of a neurosurgeon. Sharing their extensive knowledge with successive generations ensures the sustainability of the neurosurgical profession. The goal of this masterclass was to provide students and residents with an improved understanding of the topics that were discussed.
This masterclass was not like any other but had a unique format. The invited speakers were joined by enthusiastic presenters who are at different stages in their careers. This included medical students and neurosurgical residents, who all shared their personal neurosurgical experiences.
Program
Before the lectures on Friday, there were multiple workshops, including topics like genomics, eye tracking, neurologic examination, and microsurgical training in neurosurgery. The lectures were divided into two sessions: one on benign tumours and one on gliomas. Six to seven speakers talked about a specific topic within this central theme in both sessions. Topics included the location of tumours, Craniocervical meningiomas, the role of the neurosurgeon in glioma research, and experiences on how to do glioma surgery. The event was concluded with a NeuroQuiz, after which there was time to network.
On Saturday, there were four sessions, with six to eight speakers per session. One of the sessions was about the spine and peripheral nerves. The other sessions were about broader subjects, such as broadening the discussions, in which speakers talked about DNET surgery and Brainstem Lesions, among other things. The session on points of interest included talks about Ependymomas and Intraventricular tumours. Session four was a session about various topics, such as the Highs and the lows in the life of a neurosurgeon, Neurointerventions in Neuro-Oncology, and how to teach and learn neuro-oncological surgery during residency.
Sunday was a day that focused on students. It kicked off with two sessions about students’ additions. Students were invited to talk about case reports on various topics such as an Intraoperative Ultrasonography Brain Tumor Ablation, a Large optic pathways glioma in a 2-months old patient, and the timeline of Spinal Meningiomatosis were discussed. These sessions were concluded with a closing ceremony. On this day, 28 students also presented their E-posters on topics like Cystic Brain Lesions, The management of Glial Tumors during pregnancy, and the management of Glioblastoma in a 50-year-old male.
Photos by Neurosurgical Masterclass in Cluj, Romania
