It was 10 years ago when we timidly initiated an effort that would subvert many myths in Educational Training. We all together proved that we are thirsty for new knowledge, willing to participate in an active and constructive way and determine our educational training program. Above all, we are committed to investing our minimal free time –even sacrificing time with our families- sitting at our “school desks” for 10 hours extremely eager to learn.

Every month all scientific journals publish new scientific data. Some articles have immediate impact on our everyday clinical practice. Every Speaker selects and briefly presents 4-6 important articles that believe to be highly significant for their practice. After every presentation, follows a discussion about how the new knowledge can be easily integrated into clinical work. In other words “Translating Research into Clinical Practice”, as says the ISUD motto. So, what new can we apply with regard to the diagnosis & treatment of lithiasis, and all endourological surgical procedures?

It was four years ago when we started questioning EAU Guidelines (European Association of Urology) – not because we like bragging but because we wanted to provide stimulus for a more integrated educational  training procedure. From this year, EAU follows this very same practice by organizing a similar session in the annual EAU Conference. This year, we go on questioning guidelines about Invasive Bladder Cancer. First, there is a presentation of official positions and then follows their dispute, along with discussion upon many issues that still remain open to debate.

In 2014, British Medical Journal published a systematic review of 53 trials (BMJ, 21;348, 2014) comparing real surgical procedures with virtual procedures. According to 74% of trials, there was clear improvement in the groups of virtual surgeons, while 51% of trials demonstrated that the results of virtual procedures were similar to the real ones. Another recently published review of 19 trials (BMJ Open. 2016 Jun 12;6(6):e010401) subverted the “golden knowledge” concerning the relationship between blood cholesterol –particularly LDL- and atherogenesis....

Functional Urology at its best. Every chapter is important for the Urologist and there are lots of new things to learn. Every speaker will analyze 4-5 recent published papers, suggesting at the same time ways to apply the new knowledge in order to improve the patients’ urinary function and overall health.

Every day we see patients who have problems of urine drainage. From simple catheterization –that very often may not be possible or may even cause injury by mistake- to the secrets of suprapubic catheterization. From the simple placement of a ureter catheter to a pigtail catheter that cannot pass through a nephrostomy with a large window and distented pelvic kidney in difficult cases. A topic about which all participants have useful experiences to confess. If you have short videos with interesting cases to show, contact the Moderators to include them in the session.

What is Precision Medicine? Is it Personalized Medicine? Or is it a step even further beyond? Is it the treatment of a disease based on biological particularities of every patient’s genetic material? In 2015, the U.S.A. President announced the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) with the State investing 215 million dollars on Research for Precision Medicine. Yet, is there a risk that this Precision Medicine will somehow restrict physicians to tracing the aetiology of a disease only within biological causes?

After the theoretical session, it is time to see our last virtual patient. Which protocol should we follow? Which drug sequence?  How do we follow up our patient? How do we relieve symptoms so that survival does not mean only time prolongation but also improved quality of life? 

«Should I prescribe medication for this infertile man? Will it be effective? For how long should he take it? Is there evidence that it will help? Anyway, there is nothing else I could do alternatively…..». These are common dilemmas for every Urologist. Likewise, there are similar thoughts for men with erectile dysfunction: “Why doesn’t the drug work?  Should I put him on another one? If the drug does work, should I change it just because of the headache side effect that is associated with the medication? Why is it that sometimes it works and other times it doesn’t?