In April 2018, AOSpine explored a new course concept combining specimen and live tissue in Norderstedt near Hamburg, in Germany’s far north.

 

In the course titled “TheAOSpine Advanced Level Specimen/Live Tissue Course—Minimally invasive anterior approaches to the lumbar and thoracic spine and their complication management”, Chairmen Christoph Mehren and Uwe Vieweg took a completely new approach to teaching orthopedic, neuro-, and trauma spine surgeons the principles of minimally invasive anterior approaches to the lumbar and thoracic spine. As there are possible complications associated with anterior approaches, the course also dealt with the management of such complications with live tissue training in parallel.

 

Their courage to try this new setting was a great success: 28 participants from across Europe as well as from Brazil and Saudi Arabia gathered in Norderstedt to benefit from the unique opportunity and its outstanding faculty.

 

As spine surgeons tend to be hesitant to make anterior approaches—even in cases where these approaches are more adequate than posterior techniques—the two-day event began with lectures by experts in the field. The theoretical segment was followed by the practical sessions during which participants were split into two groups. A rotating system allowed them to benefit maximally on both specimen and live tissue. The MISS experts were supported and complemented by the expertise of a vascular surgeon and a visceral surgeon.

 

After two intense and productive course days, Mehren and Vieweg—and their vanguard approach—earned stakeholders’ praise.

 

“Congratulations to this very nice educational event; it was a great success,” said educational advisor Patrick Tropiano. “This format is definitively the best. I was much honored to be the first Educational Advisor of this course.”