Sofia, Bulgaria- 13/10/2024 to 17/10/2024
The EANS Congress is the largest event of the busy educational portfolio of the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies. Attended by 2.000 neurosurgeons from Europe and all over the world, the EANS Annual Congress is the main meeting point of the European Neurosurgical Community, and the connecting link between European Neurosurgery and all continental neurosurgical societies.
Ancient Sofia
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People have lived here for about seven thousand years. Documented history begins with the conquest of a Celtic city called Serdica by the Romans in 29 BCE. It is also an opportunity to visit with colleagues all over Europe and this year was my first visit to the beautiful city of Sofia. Choosing a hotel a little way from the Congress venue afforded access to the extensive archaeological sites within the city environs. I based myself close to the oldest building in Bulgaria, St George's Church (4th Century) itself built upon Roman Baths with excavations of the remains of Roman Serdica extending all around. Frescoes from the 4th to 10th centuries CE are visible on the walls of the Church.
The congress itself was held at the imposing National Palace of Culture bringing one very much to the Twentieth century when all of this lay behind the Iron Curtain.
Congress Highlights
The opening ceremony was an opportunity the City of Sofia took wholeheartedly to showcase Bulgarian culture to their visitors from 89 countries. We were greeted by Congress President Nikolay Gabrovsky as well as government representatives and 5 days of training courses, business meetings, plenary sessions and industry exhibitions got underway.
Draft consensus guidelines on the management of intracerebral haemorrhage were presented on behalf of the European Stroke Organisation taking very pragmatic account of results such as the ENRICH trial that move us back towards more surgical intervention for primary intracerebral bleeding given fresh evidence that less invasive approaches can produce improved functional outcomes.
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Presentations on Brain and Spinal Cord AVM
I was honoured to be invited to deliver a cerebrovascular masterclass on the surgical management of arteriovenous malformations of the brain. It ws humbling to see the event fully subscirbed and a lively discussion was had as I reflected on what the treatment of these lesions continues to teach me after almost 20 years.
Later in the week I presented our experience of in-situ disconnection for selected arteriovenous malformations of the spinal cord. These are exceptionally rare conditions that I have been lucky to accrue a certain amount of experience with over my career. Meetings such as the EANS Congress provide a forum to exchange experiences with others experienced in their management from around the world.
