With so much to squeeze in, the final day of ESCP’s 14th Annual Conference saw an impressive turnout as delegates poured into the ACV bright and early.

Per Nilsson and Gabriela Möslein, chairing Honorary Member and ESCP Awards sessionsThe day started with the Ileal Pouch Options Symposium in the main auditorium chaired by Beatriz Martin-Perez (Spain), Willem Bemelman (Netherlands) with educational presentations from André D’Hoore (Belgium), Janindra Warusavitarne (UK) and Gabriela Möslein (Germany).

Simultaneously there was the Educational Trainee Roundtable session which took place in Parallel Hall. Additionally, between 8am and 9am there were three Free Paper sessions held which covered student research, randomised clinical trials as well as neoplasia and proctology.

Next up on the schedule in the main auditorium was the ESCP Honorary Member Awards presented by outgoing President, Per Nilsson (Sweden) and Gabriela Möslein which celebrated and recognised wonderful contributions to colorectal surgery and the society.

They then went on to present the ESCP Best Paper award to Malou Barbosa (Denmark) on the back of her presentation at the ‘Six Best Papers’ session which is attended and voted on by specialists from across Europe. The paper looked at secondary sphincter repair for anal incontinence following obstetric sphincter injury and provided a functional outcome at 18-years follow-up.

The awards were followed by a tough choice of symposium topics.

Christianne Buskens on Trials-Methodology symposium panel with Richard Hooper‘Managing Locally Advanced Colonic Cancer’ chaired by Des Winter and Gregor included presentations from Ivan Dimitrijevic (Serbia), Brian Bird (Ireland), Petr Tsarkov (Russia) and Matt Albert (USA) which evoked lively and engaging discussions. Speakers discussed the various staging challenges, advances in treatment and chemotherapy as well as open surgery and MIS surgery.

Delegates could then choose between the Trials Methodology Symposium chaired by Dion Morton and Oded Zmora; or the Joint ESCP/EHTG symposium chaired by Gabriela Möslein and Rory Kennelly.

The post lunch symposium in Plenary Hall A was ‘Simple Solutions for Challenging Perineal Problems’ led by Ethem Gecim (Turkey) and Iain Anderson (UK). David Zimmerman (Netherlands), Phil Tozer (UK), Yves Panis (France) and Stephanie Breukink (Netherlands) took the stage to discuss various topics from the optimal approach to a high fistula-in-ano to chronic pain, anal stenosis and recurrent symptoms of post-haemorrhoidectomy.

David Zimmerman reflected on his presentation with a poignant message. He said:

“It’s always important to be honest and open with patients and present realistic expectations.”

To close the conference, Danilo Miskovic and Neil Mortensen chaired the big debate: CME Open vs Laparoscopic which was swiftly followed by the official closing ceremony where all participants were thanked for their attendance and contributions.

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