Professor Olivier Traxer (right), chair of the EAU Section of Endourology, and doctors from Bình Dân Hospital perform a live retrograde intrarenal surgery using the digital LithoVue ureteroscope system during the international advanced training workshop on minimally invasive endourology held in HCM City on January 8-9. — Photos courtesy of the hospital

HCM CITY — More than 120 urologists from 35 hospitals and medical universities nationwide gathered in HCM City on January 8-9 for an international advanced training workshop on minimally invasive endourology (MIS 2026).

MIS 2026, co-organised by Binh Dan Hospital and the European Association of Urology (EAU), aims to standardise and enhance surgical skills among Vietnamese urologists in line with European clinical standards.

The workshop forms part of a long-term international cooperation programme designed to strengthen professional capacity in minimally invasive urological surgery, a field that has experienced rapid technological development in recent years.

Participants came from major public and private healthcare institutions across the country, including Chợ Rẫy Hospital, Huế Central Hospital, People’s Hospital 115, Military Hospitals 103 and 175, Tam Anh General Hospital, Cần Thơ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and Vĩnh Long General Hospital.

A key highlight of MIS 2026 was the direct involvement of leading experts from the European School of Urology (ESU).

Professor Olivier Pierre Jean Traxer, Professor of Urology and Head of the Urology Department at Tenon Hospital, Sorbonne University (France), and Chair of the European Association of Urology (EAU) Section of Endourology, delivered lectures and conducted live surgical demonstrations.

He shared advanced techniques in flexible ureteroscopy (RIRS) and provided updates on the latest laser technologies used in stone management.

Also joining the programme was Dr Laurian Bogdan Dragos, a specialist in endourology and urological oncology at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in the UK.

As a lecturer in several prestigious European training programmes, Dr Dragos presented an overview of global endourology trends in 2026 and introduced cutting-edge techniques currently applied at leading centres worldwide.

The two-day workshop featured 12 in-depth lectures and five live surgeries broadcast directly from operating theatres, enabling participants to closely observe procedures and interact with experts in real time.

The programme focused on advanced minimally invasive technologies, including the LithoVue digital flexible ureteroscope for enhanced visualisation, REZUM water vapour thermal therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia, and the DISS (Direct In-Scope Suction) technique, which integrates suction through the endoscope to maintain a clear surgical field.

Participants also observed complex stone management using combined Mini PCNL and ECIRS techniques, which integrate percutaneous and retrograde endoscopic approaches to improve outcomes in challenging cases.

An overview of the international advanced training workshop on minimally invasive endourology held in HCM City on January 8-9.

According to the organisers, the workshop provided a high-level academic forum that combined international expertise with the extensive clinical experience of Bình Dân Hospital’s urology team, led by deputy director of the hospital Associate Professor Dr Nguyễn Phúc Cẩm Hoàng.

The collaboration is expected to help Vietnamese urology move closer to advanced international standards, particularly in patient safety and treatment effectiveness.

With nine specialised urology departments providing comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services, Bình Dân Hospital is a leading referral centre for urological care in Việt Nam and the region.

The hospital has operated an endoscopic surgery training centre since 2009 and has actively partnered with reputable international training programmes to bring global medical advances closer to Vietnamese doctors.

At MIS 2026, participating physicians not only observed real-world clinical practice but also engaged directly with EAU experts, discussed standardised protocols and exchanged professional experience.

Organisers said such activities contribute to improving the quality of minimally invasive urological surgery and enhancing patient outcomes in Việt Nam. — VNS