The symposium and pre-course have been postponed.
Please contact us for more information.
4-5 March 2020: hands-on pre-course
5-6 March 2020: symposium
We are pleased to invite you to our first Groningen Pituitary and Skull Base Symposium (GPS) to be held in March 2020 in Groningen, the Netherlands.
The GPS symposium is an initiative of two multidisciplinary teams (MDT’s), which are part of the UMC Groningen Comprehensive Cancer Center. The former Pituitary team and the Skull Base team have merged over the past year into the Groningen Pituitary and Skull Base Center.
The aim of the organizing committee is to propagate the knowledge about care and cure of patients with pituitary or skull base pathology. The symposium focuses on various aspects of pituitary and skull base disease. A national and international faculty will be present to elucidate on radiology, radiotherapy, endocrinology, surgery (also orbit), next to research topics.
As the department of radiotherapy in Groningen has a leading role in the Netherlands in the facilitation of proton therapy, the pros and cons of conventional versus proton therapy for skull base pathology will be discussed.
Developments in pituitary care for the diagnosis and treatment of pituitary adenomas as well as new surgical techniques for skull base pathology will pass the spotlight.
As the orbit is also a part of the skull base, orbital pathology, exposure and reconstruction of the orbit and techniques to evaluate and measure optic function are presented.
Optimal diagnostic evaluation of skull base pathology by CT, MRI and PET/CT is very important to institute the best therapeutic modality. Innovations within these fields will also be demonstrated.
Hands-on pre-course
Prior to the symposium a hands-on pre course will be held. During this day and a half you will have the opportunity to perform endoscopic skull base surgery on cadavers. Ten stations will be equipped with endoscopes, burrs and suction equipment.
Participants will have the opportunity to ameliorate their knowledge and skills regarding endoscopic surgery of the cranial base, pituitary fossa and the orbit. Please note that the technique of endoscopic surgery is performed by two surgeons (four hands technique). As organizing committee we will staff each station with two participants to learn to develop this four hands technique.
At the end of the course participants should be able to:
The GPS symposium is an initiative of two multidisciplinary teams (MDT’s), which are part of the UMC Groningen Comprehensive Cancer Center. The former Pituitary team and the Skull Base team have merged over the past year into the Groningen Pituitary and Skull Base Center.
The aim of the organizing committee is to propagate the knowledge about care and cure of patients with pituitary or skull base pathology. The symposium focuses on various aspects of pituitary and skull base disease. A national and international faculty will be present to elucidate on radiology, radiotherapy, endocrinology, surgery (also orbit), next to research topics.
As the department of radiotherapy in Groningen has a leading role in the Netherlands in the facilitation of proton therapy, the pros and cons of conventional versus proton therapy for skull base pathology will be discussed.
Developments in pituitary care for the diagnosis and treatment of pituitary adenomas as well as new surgical techniques for skull base pathology will pass the spotlight.
As the orbit is also a part of the skull base, orbital pathology, exposure and reconstruction of the orbit and techniques to evaluate and measure optic function are presented.
Optimal diagnostic evaluation of skull base pathology by CT, MRI and PET/CT is very important to institute the best therapeutic modality. Innovations within these fields will also be demonstrated.
Hands-on pre-course
Prior to the symposium a hands-on pre course will be held. During this day and a half you will have the opportunity to perform endoscopic skull base surgery on cadavers. Ten stations will be equipped with endoscopes, burrs and suction equipment.
Participants will have the opportunity to ameliorate their knowledge and skills regarding endoscopic surgery of the cranial base, pituitary fossa and the orbit. Please note that the technique of endoscopic surgery is performed by two surgeons (four hands technique). As organizing committee we will staff each station with two participants to learn to develop this four hands technique.
At the end of the course participants should be able to:
- Describe the anatomic relationships between the ventral skull base, paranasal sinuses and orbit.
- Understand the indications, benefits and risks associated with endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery.
- Apply endoscopic techniques to approach tumors in the anterior and middle cranial fossa.