Belgian International Spine Symposium
XXXIst Edition
SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM
R. Gunzburg, M. Szpalski & S. Blumenthal
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2025
07.30 RegistrationGENERAL CONSIDERATIONS07.55 Welcome
Chairman: C. Lamartina
08.00 What is the learning curve for robotics and new technology?DEBATE
JJ Abitbol (San Diego)08.15 The future of spine imaging
A. Zerbi (Milan)08.30 Are women the future of spine?
C. Martini (Milan)08.45 Equipment that has changed the spinal surgery world – from bipolar to bone scalpels
R. Cecchinato (Milan)09.00 Discussion
09.15 Technology without principles is useless
C. Lamartina (Milan)09.30 C.Acnes, is it pathogenic or just along for the ride and influence of gut microbiome
S. Blumenthal (Dallas)09.45 Spine surgery simulators for surgical training-if it’s good enough for pilots…
R. Guyer (Dallas)10.00 The future of surgical site infection (SSI): Will it become a “Never Event”? And, are care bundles the answer?
D. Wong (Denver)10.15 Discussion
10.30 Coffee Break
11.00 Are the next frontier robots providing anaesthesia?
R. Garcia (Miami)11.15 How is technological advancement measured appropriately?
I. Vlok (Cape Town)11.30 Monkeys can be trained to use robots, the greater world needs skilled surgeons
R. Dunn (Cape Town)11.45 Lumbar TDR- will it be around in 10 years?
R Guyer (Dallas)12.00 Discussion
12.15 NASS President Talk
Physical medicine, interventional therapy and AI
Scott Kreiner (Phoenix)12.30 Lunch Break
13.30 Free hand vs navigation and robotic instrumentationTHE FUTURE OF SPINE I
C. Lamartina vs C. Hofstetter
Chairman: S. Blumenthal
14.00 Unilateral Biportal Endoscopy (UBE) learning curve and future developmentsTHE FUTURE OF SPINE II
A. Faundez (Geneva)14.15 Beyond robotics, digital surgery
H.A. Leroy (Lille)14.30 Robot assisted endoscopic TLIF
C. Hofstetter (Seattle)14.45 Spinal endoscopy: from private to public health care
S. Harangi (Rotterdam)15.00 Cervical TDR in 10 years-incidence and treatment strategies for revisions
S. Blumenthal (Dallas)15.15 Discussion
15.30 Coffee Break
Chairman: I. Vlok
16.00 Endoscopic anatomy
A. Faundez (Geneva)16.15 Does robotics live up to it's promise or is this industry pushing technology?
JJ Abitbol (San Diego)16.30 When technology goes wrong
I. Vlok (Cape Town)16.45 Discussion
16.55 Unilateral Biportal Endoscopy: from decompression to fusion
A. Faundez (Geneva)17.10 Without BMP, is an endoscopic fusion appropriate?
C. Hofstetter (Seattle)17.25 PRP and stem cells in spine: Effective or a scam.
R. Garcia (Miami)17.40 Discussion
17.50 End of first day
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 22, 2025
THE FUTURE OF SPINE III
Chairman: M. Czyz
08.00 Approach to metastatic spine disease – what does the future hold?AI SYMPOSIUM
R. Cecchinato (Milan)08.15 Spinal decompression in the future: will the endoscope or the microscope prevail?
D. Wong (Denver)08.30 Unilateral Biportal Endoscopy: from decompression to fusion
A Faundez (Geneva)08.45 Discussion
08.55 Innovative Materials in Spine Surgery: The role of Carbon/PEEK in Metastatic and Primary Tumours
D. Thijs (Antwerp)09.10 Hand held navigation. Clinical and economic considerations
M. Arts (The Hague)09.25 The future of pedicle aiming
C. Bolger (Dublin)09.40 Spinal Decompression in the Future: will the endoscope or the microscope prevail?
D. Wong (Denver)9.55 Late-career learning curve : a comparative study of biportal endoscope and conventional techniques
C. Schizas (Lausanne)10.10 Discussion
10.25 Coffee Break
Chairman: D. Wong
10.55 Intelligence-based spine care: what is it and future directionETHICS AND ECONOMY
D. Samartzis (Chicago)11.10 Examples in healthcare and industry where AI is utilized today and future direction
C. Tomkins-Lane (Calgary) & G. McNamara (Dublin)11.25 Practical applications of AI for the spine clinician
C. Colloca (New York)11.40 Discussion
11.55 Large language models and AI - what are they, tips/tricks from the real-world
C. Tomkins-Lane (Calgary) & G. McNamara (Dublin)12.10 Implications of AI in research/publishing
D. Samartzis (Chicago)12.25 Artificial intelligence in healthcare: legal risks, compliance, and the path forward
E. Muehlbauer (Chicago)12.40 Discussion
12.55 Lunch Break
Chairman: D. Samatzis
13.55 Future value in spine surgery: the role of government, comparative effectiveness research, economic credentialing and technology assessment
D. Wong (Denver)14.10 “Future” technologies that have come and gone – what have we learnt?
I. Vlok (Cape Town)14.25 Cost-benefit ratio for endoscopy
M. Czyz (Birmingham)14.40 Is the tail wagging the dog?
R. Dunn (Cape Town)14.55 Discussion
15.10 Training in spinal surgery: the role of the basics and what are they?
I.Vlok (Cape Town)15.25 Patient safety in spine surgery for the future: will organizational initiatives have an impact?
D. Wong (Denver)15.40 Costs of adopting these technologies
JJ Abitbol (San Diego)15.55 The future of surgical spine tourism
R. Dunn (Cape Town)16.10 Discussion
16.30 End of the Meeting