Live surgery at the Escandinavian Urology Congress in Aahrus, Denmark

This thursday I traveled to Denmark to participate in the Congress of the Scandinavian Urological Association (NUF 2007). I was invited to perform a Greenlight HPS laser prostatectomy in a patient with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). The operation was broadcasted live from the prestigious Skejby Hospital to a conference room with 130 urologists from Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark. The congress welcomed 400 urologists and 400 scandinavian nurses, all of them blond and with beautiful blue eyes... (no comments...;-)

The hospital is impressive, it only has two floors, but it is massive. Nurses travel in small motorbikes around the hospital. It is really something different.

When I arrived to Billund Airport, I was picked up and driven to the hotel where the congress was taking place. Another impressive place, with beautiful architecture. I felt as if I was inside the Death Star from Star Wars.... (see photo).

Then we went out to a dinner organised by the congress at the "Old city" in Aahrus. A wonderful place with old fashioned Danish houses populated by actors... really beautiful.

There I had the chance to see two old friends, Ola Bratt, an expert in prostate cancer from Sweden and Henning Olsen, a pediatric urologist working at Skejby Hospital. I was really happy to see them. We shared many experiences while we all worked at the European Society of Residents in Urology 10 years ago...

The 80 watt Greenlight PV - KTP laser is very popular, but apparently they use very little amounts of energy (80-90.000 joules) in each prostate, and thus, they do a minimal channel prostatectomy. I am convinced this can only work in the short term. Patients improve after sugery, but I am afraid they have a higher risk of needing a reoperation in the future.

The live surgery went really well. The case was ideal for a surgical demonstration, a 45 gram prostate. The audience saw how I used 275.000 joules to perform the operation and how the operation resembled a complete TURP. I showed them my tips and tricks and they all saw the fantastic end result. During the operation, I answered questions from the audience... I think we all had a good time. The feedback after the session was very positive, I think many urologists changed a few concepts in their minds, and saw a different operation to what they were used to...

Then we did a second case, without the cameras, because they had prepared two cases just in case one of the patients got ill and could not be operated that day. Both cases were unevenful. It has been a great experience, and a great honour to operate in one of the best hospitals in Europe.

After the session, I rushed to the airport as I had to reach Madrid on Friday. I had to travel to Gran Canaria on Saturday, I had an appointment with my friends there...