The Romanian Association of Hepato-Bilio-Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation (ARCHBPTH) had a distinguished presence at the National Surgery Conference, held on May 28–31, 2025, at the International Hotel in Iași, by organizing and holding three scientific sessions of high academic standing, on May 30.

Through the sessions dedicated to BPH pathology and colorectal oncology, ARCHBPTH provided a valuable platform for knowledge exchange, bringing together renowned experts from the country and abroad and contributing to the continuous development of Romanian surgery.

IASGO Academy (https://www.academy.iasgo.com/) – the opening of the day, under the coordination of professors Viorel Scripcariu and Dan Duda, brought to the fore international innovations in the field of oncological immunotherapy, with a focus on reprogramming the immune microenvironment for improved therapeutic results.
IASGO Academy is the educational platform of the International Association of Surgeons, Gastroenterologists and Oncologists (IASGO), dedicated to providing online resources and courses for medical professionals. The platform offers a variety of courses in areas such as liver, pancreatic, biliary surgery, and liver transplantation.

HBP Session – Academic and Clinical Excellence in Hepato-Bilio-Pancreatic Surgery
On Friday, May 30, between 08:30 – 11:30, the Exo Hall  hosted one of the densest and most valuable scientific sessions of the National Conference on Surgery 2025: The HBP Session, moderated by Acad. Prof. Irinel Popescu, Prof. Dr. Nadim Al Hajjar and Prof. Dr. Vladislav Brașoveanu – recognized opinion leaders in the field of liver surgery.

Professor Acad. Irinel Popescu, founder of hepato-bilio-pancreatic surgery and liver transplantation in Romania, continued to inspire with vision, academic coherence and commitment to the training of new generations of surgeons.

The session brought together an impressive number of presentations focused on the complex management of liver metastases of colorectal origin, a topical topic that requires multidisciplinary expertise and cutting-edge technology.

Prof. Dr. Dan Duda (Harvard Medical School) opened the session with an exceptional presentation on the reprogramming of the tumor immune microenvironment, with the aim of increasing the efficiency of oncological immunotherapies – an essential translational perspective for the future of personalized treatment.

The following presentations explored various surgical strategies for synchronous liver metastases:
“Liver-first”, “colon-first” or simultaneous interventions – all were carefully analyzed by international specialists such as Prof. Dr. A. Karamarkovic, Prof. Dr. Z. Milosevic and Prof. Dr.  I. Takorov, balancing oncological safety, postoperative morbidity and long-term outcomes.

The complex team coordinated by Prof. Dr. V. Brașoveanu illustrated an extensive intervention, in an example of special teamwork.

Essential aspects were also brought to the fore regarding:

  • Toxicity of antiangiogenic biological therapy on hepatic vessels (Andra Ciocan et al.);
  • “Vanishing metastases” – a post-chemotherapy reality that raises significant surgical dilemmas ( Dr.F. Botea and his team);
  • The use of advanced digital technologies: 3D volumetry, virtual resection and real-time navigation – approached by the team coordinated by Alexandru Năstase.

The comparative studies on minimal parenchymal resections vs. major hepatectomies, Prof. Dr. S. Luncă contributed to a rigorous debate on the optimization of personalized oncological treatment, and the institutional experiences (SCJU Târgu Mureș) brought a valuable practical perspective from the Romanian clinical field.

In conclusion, the sessions dedicated to minimally invasive treatments – CyberKnife (S. Exner) and thermal ablation (Dr. Z. Șparchez) – demonstrated that non-invasive approaches are becoming increasingly relevant in modern therapeutic weaponry, offering promising results with low toxicity.

This session reconfirmed ARCHBPTH’s position  as a reference academic and professional forum in BPH surgery, supporting innovation, collaboration and continuous training in a constantly evolving field.

Oncological Board for Advanced Colorectal Cancer – multidisciplinary board session held between 12:00–13:00, moderated by Acad. Prof. Irinel Popescu, brought together the complementary perspectives of the specialists involved in the management of complex cases:

  • Surgeon: Univ. Dr. Florin Botea
  • Oncologist: Dr. A. Croitoru
  • Radiotherapist: C. Iftode
  • Radiologist: Doctor of Medical Sciences Mugur Grasu
  • Gastroenterologist: T. Voiosu

The discussions highlighted the need for an integrated, collaborative approach to the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer – a model of good practice in modern medicine.

ARCHBPTH remains an essential pillar in promoting excellence in BPH surgery, stimulating research, continuous training and interdisciplinary cooperation in the service of the patient.

The event was organized under the aegis of the Romanian Society of Surgery, together with the following partner institutions and medical societies:
 Academy of Medical Sciences, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iași, Romanian Association of Endoscopic Surgery and Other Interventional Techniques, Romanian Society of Emergency and Trauma Surgery, Romanian Society of Oncological Surgery and Gynecology, Romanian Society of Breast Surgery and Oncology, Romanian Society of Coloproctology,  Romanian Student Society of Surgery, Society of Physicians and Naturalists Iași,  Romanian College of Physicians.