Hands-on courses for image guided surgery, bariatrics, remote access to the neck or wall surgery procedures organised by the best trainers in the field, are highlights of SIS2026 in Porto.
All hands-on courses are taking place in a surgical skills centre. The highly experienced local faculty are joined by international expert faculty from EAES to create a uniquely high ratio of faculty to delegates to provide a high value educational experience.
Participants will work in teams with a dedicated faculty member. They will be asked to document their level of experience and aims in advance and will agree a plan for the day with faculty. This allows an opportunity to tailor the experience to the participants and, taking advantage of the wide variety of stations and models available at this centre, maximise the individuals training experience.
Thursday 22nd January 2026
Advanced techniques in image-guided surgery: a hands-on workshop on porcine models
Target audience: Surgical trainees and specialists in minimally invasive surgery (general surgery, colorectal, gynaecology, urology).
Course objectives:
- Understand the principles of ICG fluorescence and near-infrared (NIR) imaging.
- Learn the main clinical applications of ICG in minimally invasive and robotic surgery.
- Acquire hands-on experience in image-guided procedures for safe and effective surgical decision-making.
- Discuss current evidence, limitations, and future perspectives of fluorescence-guided surgery.
Location: ICBAS – University of Porto
Course directors: Hélder Ferreira (Portugal), Ludovica Baldari (Italy)
Tutors: Manish Chand (UK), Juan Gilabert (Spain), Michele Diana (Switzerland), Pedro Brandão (Portugal), Rui Costa (Portugal)
Time: 08.30 – 18.00 hrs
Bariatric hands-on course on porcine models and human cadavers
Location: ICBAS – University of Porto
Course directors: Paulo Soares (Portugal), Milos Bjelovic (Serbia), Catalin Copaescu (Romania)
Tutors: Miljan Zindovic (Montenegro), Dragan Gunjic (Serbia), Isabel Mesquita (Portugal)
Time: 08.30 – 18.00 hrs
Saturday 24th January 2026
Remote access to the neck – hands-on course on porcine models and human cadavers
Neck surgery has undergone recent advances with the introduction of remote endoscopic access. In addition to the benefit of being scarless surgery, these approaches benefit from image magnification, light optimisation and excellent patient recovery. The objectives of this course are to teach both the axillary-areolar access technique and the oral access technique. Fundamental aspects of the use of these approaches are presented by a group of experienced surgeons. There will be discussion of clinical cases, tips & tricks, and hours of hands-on training on cadaver and porcine model. The future of thyroid and parathyroid surgery will involve the use of these techniques, which should increasingly become the domain of the 21st century head and neck surgeon.
Location: University of Minho in Braga
Course director: Jaime Vilaça (Portugal)
Tutors: Barbara Seeliger (Germany), Oscar Vidal (Spain), Ozer Makay (Türkiye), Carlos E Costa Almeida (Portugal), Carlos Serra (Portugal)
Time: 09.00 – 18.00 hrs
Wall surgery – hands-on course on porcine models and human cadavers
Join us in Braga for the Wall Surgery hands-on course at the University of Minho — a focused, full-day training designed to strengthen your practical skills in abdominal wall surgery. Led by course directors Ferdinando Agresta and Fernando Ferreira, the programme combines clear, structured teaching with extensive hands-on experience using human cadavers and porcine models. Participants will review key anatomy, radiological considerations, and established approaches such as SCOLA, TAPP, and eTEP, guided by an international faculty including Chi-Chuan Yeh, Emanuel Guerreiro, and Juan Bellido Luque. With dedicated time for laparoscopic suturing and a comprehensive afternoon lab, this course offers a valuable opportunity to refine techniques and consolidate safe, evidence-based practice in abdominal wall surgery.
Location: University of Minho in Braga
Course directors: Ferdinando Agresta (Italy), Fernando Ferreira (Portugal)
Tutors: Chi-Chuan Yeh (Taiwan), Emanuel Guerreiro (Portugal), Juan Bellido Luque (Spain)
Time: 09.00 – 18.00 hrs
