The EANS Annual Congress in Hamburg is more than a scientific meeting! It is where innovative ideas come together, collaborations begin, and the future of neurosurgical practice is defined.

Bringing together leading experts, researchers, and clinicians from across the world, the EANS2026 Hamburg Congress offers a unique opportunity to engage with the latest advances, exchange perspectives, and strengthen professional networks within our global neurosurgical community.

Registration at early rates is currently open!

We warmly encourage you to register early and secure your participation at beneficial rates, available until 15 June 2026.

Register now and join us in Hamburg

Abstract submission closes TOMORROW

• Share your latest breakthroughs
• Get your abstract published in Brain & Spine Journal
• Shape the scientific programme
• Expand your network
• Experience Hamburg: science, culture, and maybe a pretzel or two!

Submit your abstract by 1 March 2026

The clock is ticking! 

19 February 2025 is your last chance to submit your abstract for the EANS Annual Congress, taking place from 30 September to 4 October in Hamburg. This is your opportunity to shine and present your research to more than 2,000 neurosurgeons gathering in one of Germany's most vibrant cities.

Michael Bruneau, EANS Scientific Liaison, reflects on the success of last year’s EANS Congress and invites you to submit your abstract for the upcoming EANS2026 Congress in Hamburg.

Why Submit? Because you can.. Share your research and latest breakthroughs See your abstract published in the Brain & Spine Journal Shape the Congress scientific programme Grow your network  Experience Hamburg’s unique setting as an international science and innovation hub Join us for another unforgettable EANS adventure – science, networking, and fun all rolled into one! Submit your abstract by 19 February and grab your spot!

Submit your abstract by 19 February 2026

Day 5 in Vienna sparkled with nonstop scientific excitement. Early sessions set the tone – spine
groups dissected multicenter studies and debated new approaches for tumour, degenerative,
and infectious pathologies. Neuro-oncology brought striking advances in intraoperative
imaging, liquid biopsy, and proteomics for glioma and meningioma care. Trauma experts

presented innovative prediction models and shared vital experience on war-related injuries,
chronic subdural hematoma, and cranioplasty outcomes. Functional and degenerative spine
topics revealed dramatic progress in AI-aided outcome prediction and patient-centered
surgical techniques, affirming Vienna as a hotbed for global neurosurgery innovation.

Skull base symposiums showcased state-of-the-art endonasal and transorbital
reconstructions, nuanced strategies for pituitary and cranial fossa cases, and new paradigms for
risk assessment. Spine tumor and infections showed impressing results on eloquent
schwannomas and spondylodiscitis. Sessions for function preservation elevated best practices
in mapping language and motor networks, and spotlighted brain plasticity metrics for
optimising patient outcomes. Peripheral nerve panels explored everything from complex
brachial plexus repairs to novel strategies for thoracic outlet syndrome, sharing invaluable new
knowledge for restoring limb function and improving lives.

Education and pediatric topics came together in vibrant workshops, lively masterclasses, and
international forums. Highlights included digital simulation, augmented reality, and clinical
excellence in training, blended with major updates in pediatric tumour diagnostics, outcome
measures, and collaborative strategies for humanitarian challenges. The fusion of technical
mastery and global partnership energised the community – every learner
and every leader pushing for better care at every stage of life. We finished on global neurosurgery and pediatrics,
with important highlights and insightful presentations broadening our understanding beyond our comfort zones.

With enthusiasm and a sense of unity, Day 5 closed on a high note – celebrating innovation and
collaboration that define EANS and thanking all the actors involved.
EANS2025 Vienna Congress challenged everyone to think boldly and work together,
setting the stage for another unforgettable gathering. Thank you, Vienna, for an
unforgettable week! Ready for even greater adventures? 

See you in Hamburg for the EANS2026 Congress!

Building Bridges and Opening Doors

Dear friends and colleagues, Two years ago, I stood before you and shared a vision: “Building Bridges and Opening Doors.” Today, as I conclude my term as President, I’m proud to say that vision has become a reality – because of you.

EANS2025 in Vienna: A Congress for the History Books
Vienna, with its rich medical heritage and tradition of scientific excellence, proved the perfect
setting for our 2025 Congress. The VIECON – Vienna Congress & Convention Center welcomed a
record of 2,430 participants from 90 countries, creating an atmosphere of intellectual energy
and international collaboration that defines European neurosurgery at its best.

Walking through the congress halls, I witnessed the vibrancy of our community: young
neurosurgeons engaged in animated discussions with seasoned mentors, industry partners
demonstrating innovations that will shape our future, and colleagues from across continents
united by their passion for advancing our field. Our 61 industry partners didn’t just offer
financial support; they created invaluable opportunities for innovation and learning.

The scientific programme delivered extraordinary numbers that reflect our collective
ambition: with over 2,000 abstracts submitted – a new EANS record – we presented 417
lectures, 507 oral presentations, 339 oral e-poster presentations, and 726 e-poster
presentations. We featured 3 keynote speeches, 11 plenary sessions, 12 masterclasses,
74 parallel sessions, 18 pre-congress sessions, and 11 industry symposia.
The congress earned a record-breaking 37 EACCME credits.

Our three keynote speakers: David Poeppel, who presented “Language in the Brain: Exciting
Opportunities at the Intersection of Neurosurgery and Neuroscience,” demonstrating how
neurosurgical practice can benefit from cognitive neuroscience; Ingeborg Hochmair shared
insights in “The Future of Cochlear Implants and Other Implantable Neuroprostheses,”
discussing how neuroprosthetic devices are evolving to restore not only hearing but other
neural functions, opening new frontiers in brain-machine interfaces; and a true giant of
neurosurgery, Dr. Robert Spetzler.

The social programme brought us together in ways that statistics cannot capture. The Congress
Party reminded us that we are not just colleagues, but a family bound by shared purpose.
Watching neurosurgeons from different generations and continents celebrating together,
sharing stories, and forging friendships that will last lifetimes—these are the moments that
define the EANS spirit.

Claudius Thomé and Christian Freyschlag, together with the local scientific committee and the
Austrian Neurosurgical Society, created something extraordinary here in Vienna. Building on
the momentum from our outstanding Sofia congress under Nikolay Gabrovsky’s leadership,
they have shown that each EANS congress can surpass the last while maintaining the warmth
and collegiality that make our meetings special.

Michaël Bruneau deserves particular recognition for the scientific programmes of both Vienna
and Sofia. His ability to balance innovation with practical education, while nurturing emerging
talent and creating programmes that engage both seasoned practitioners and young
neurosurgeons, has set new standards.

Honoring Excellence
The European Lecture Award for an exceptional and practice-changing contribution to
neurosurgery was presented to Professor Jürgen Beck. In his lecture, he shared his
“Human-to-Human Approach to Research” and encouraged neurosurgeons of all ages
to stay curious, stay active, and keep doing. His presentation reminded us why we chose this profession.

Profs. Johannes van Loon and Hugues Duffau were both distinguished with the EANS Award for
Exceptional Service to European Neurosurgery, recognising their outstanding dedication and
long-standing commitment to our community. Prof. Bernhard Meyer received the Lifetime
Achievement Award, which celebrates a career that has inspired generations of neurosurgeons.
Prof. José Vicente Piquer Belloch received the EANS Humanitarian Award for extending
neurosurgical care beyond traditional boundaries. Mrs. Saba Raza-Knight was honored with the
EANS 2025 Braakman Prize.

Gratitude
I want to express my deepest gratitude to those who made this journey possible:

Passing the Torch
To our members, I want to say this: you are receiving a President who combines the best of
what we’ve built with a vision for what we can become.Support him as you’ve supported me.

Work with him to ensure that European neurosurgery continues to lead, to innovate, to serve.

To Francesco Sala and the new Board – you inherit an association that is strong, vibrant, and
ready for the future. But more than that, you inherit the EANS Spirit—the force that binds us
across borders and subspecialties.

 

The bridges we’ve built will carry you forward.
The doors we’ve opened welcome new generations.
I wish you every success.
The Spirit Lives On
Thank you for the privilege of serving.

Thank you.
________________________________________
Torstein R. Meling
EANS President 2023-2025

The Largest EANS Congress Ever: A Trajectory of Growth
and Evolution for EANS

Dear EANS Family, As we have reached the end of the EANS2025 Vienna Congress, I would like to thank you for participating in the highlight event of our educational activities. We gladly report that this congress was the largest EANS Congress ever, as 2430 attendees from more than 90 countries, and 61 Industry Partners gathered in Vienna for 5 days full of action, education, and networking.

These numbers alone consolidate a trajectory of growth and evolution for our organization, and
they strengthen our optimism for the exciting journey ahead.

The EANS2025 Vienna Congress was a congress of collaboration and innovation also in the
organizational aspect. This year we introduced several new elements in our operations and
services, always aiming to further improve the quality of the congress experience, and we do
hope that the participants were able to enjoy them to the fullest. The Silent Presentation
system of our ePosters Booths, that came also with a major update to the ePosters interface by
the software provider, was a big step forward to further smoothen this vital aspect of our scientific operations.

Our morning sessions at 07:00 provided the opportunity for more oral presentations and were
received very positively by our attendees, confirming that more room for diversity, inclusion and
quality in our scientific programme was ultimately worth the early start for the hundreds of
delegates that attended them.

The EANS Booth and the Innovation Hub inside the exhibition area were our way to signal the
EANS presence and appreciation for our industry partners, who have been supporting the
organization’s ever-growing educational portfolio and work together aligned towards the
betterment of European and global neurosurgical practice and treatment.

This congress also signaled the handover of our 2023-2025 EANS Council to the elected EANS
Officers for 2025-2027. I would like to sincerely thank the EANS Council 2023-2025 for their
excellent work and wish to the newly appointed Officers a productive and successful term.

Our spirits are high, our emotions are strong, and our minds are already entering the realm of
the EANS2026 Hamburg Congress, for which preparations are already well underway.
Announcements for abstract submission and registration are coming soon, and we invite you to
join us in Hamburg, to celebrate together European Neurosurgery, learn, engage, and network.

Warm regards,
________________________________________
Valentini Amarantidou
EANS Executive Director

Our next Congress destination: Hamburg!

Dear EANS Community, Colleagues and friends.

It is our distinct pleasure and an honour to invite you to the EANS Annual Congress, which will
take place from 30 September to 4 October 2026 in Hamburg. After the cancellation of the 2021
meeting due to the pandemic, the long-awaited chance to welcome all of you in Hamburg will
become real in 2026. The congress will take place in the Congress Center Hamburg (CCH),
which is one of the most modern conference venues in Europe.

“Responsibility, endurance and resilience” is the motto of the congress. These three key
elements guide our daily neurosurgical work, our teaching and our research activities. We
witness tremendous technological advances in neurosurgery, such as artificial intelligence,
advanced neurostimulation and brain-machine interfaces. We gain new insights from clinical
and experimental neuroscience, allowing to approach personalized therapy especially, but not
exclusively in neuro-oncology. Nonetheless, a constant awareness of how these advances are
responsibly integrated into education and daily practice to truly benefit our patients is needed.
In line with the motto of the congress, we aim to provide a comprehensive, educational and
also critical update of the most recent developments in neurosurgery, framed by a large exhibition,
showing the latest technologies.

We feel especially honoured, that we can welcome the Japanese Society for Neurosurgery as
the first national guest society ever to join our annual EANS meeting. This is testimony to the
perception, that the EANS, although based in Europe, is a substantial part of the
global neurosurgical community.

Scientific exchange is the main purpose of the EANS congress to come – as it was of the
congresses before. Meeting old friends and making new friends is also a substantial aspect of
these meetings. For the social program, we have chosen stunning venues, which reflect the rich
history of Hamburg as well as its atmosphere as a city designed by water.

We hope that the scientific program and the attractions of the city will convince many of you to
join us in our annual celebration of neurosurgical tradition, excellence and advances.
See you in Hamburg 2026.

Get a chance to win a free registration for the EANS2026 Congress in Hamburg. The steps are easy:

The post with the most likes on the EANS2025 Social Wall will win free registration to the Congress. Don’t miss out — Hamburg is waiting!

Not a member yet? Join the EANS Family!
Now is the time to join the EANS family – a colourful, open, diverse, ever-evolving, and always on-the-move neurosurgical community.
Join EANS today.

EXPLORE THE CONGRESS

Follow us on Social media and
stay tuned for the rest of the Journey!

Copyright © 2025 EANS, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you are a neurosurgeon known to the EANS, and we would like to
update you with neurosurgical news and events from the Europe and across the world. To unsubscribe,
please follow the links at the end of this email.

Our mailing address is:
EANS
Rue d’Egmont 11
Brussels BE-1000
Belgium
Add us to your address book

A great congress is nearing its end – but not quite yet! Potentially, the Viennese neurosurgical
spirit, or why not a Vienna Skull Base approach, could be as famous as the Wiener Waltz. Let´s
summarise Wednesday, shall we, and be inspired by the never-ending enthusiasm of the
speakers, industry partners, and participants.

We started at 07.00 – truly the “early bird catches the worm” – and the day began strongly
with brisk sessions in spine (cervical degeneration, trauma pearls), neuro-oncology (function-
preserving resections, supramarginal strategies), and trends & innovation (AI, robotics,
advanced imaging). Skull base focused on anterolateral corridors, and the functional parallel
explored DBS refinements with attention to complications and outcomes. A Trauma
Masterclass explored dementia/TBI trajectories, while CSF problem-solving offered practical
endoscopy tips. Coffee time saw lively exchanges around chronic subdural hematoma data and
education/Young Neurosurgeons’ initiatives in the e-poster zone.

These morning sessions were followed by a Keynote Lecture by none other than the true
neurosurgical legend Robert F. Spetzler. His impact in the areas of vascular and skull base
neurosurgery cannot be overemphasised. He is the Emeritus President and CEO of the Barrow
Neurological Institute, with publication and surgical records that are nothing short of
impressive. He emphasised, among other things, the importance of collaboration, and
reminded us that for hard-working neurosurgeons, it is crucial to dedicate time to friends,
family and sports – despite the demands of a neurosurgical workload. The word “inspirational”
summarises his talk, and he deservedly received a prolonged standing ovation for his contributions. 

The Trauma plenary was nothing short of game-changing. Wilco Peul presented how the new
TBI classification will change how we view and study our TBI patients in the coming years, since
our current classification into mild, moderate and severe TBI does not sufficiently explain
outcome prediction. Guy Rosenthal presented new penetrating guidelines that will be in press
by Christmas. These guidelines are highly anticipated and important, not least in view of many
global armed conflicts currently ongoing. In this congress, much wartime data has been
presented compellingly by our Ukrainian friends. Then, Niklas Marklund addressed the topic of
dementia risks and chronic traumatic encephalopathy in previous athletes, something often
uncritically addressed in the media. These dementia risks should be weighed against the overall
huge benefits of participating in sports. Then, Corrado Iaccarino elegantly elaborated on the
potential role for basal cisternostomy in severe TBI, a procedure that has raised both critical
questions and safety concerns. Finally, there were presentations from the two awardees
selected for the best abstracts. Both were on chronic subdural hematoma, one by Jugoslav
Ivanovic on novel medical management and Jehuda Soleman on the potential to avoid
interrupting aspirin for chronic subdural hematoma surgery. Chronic subdural hematoma may
not be as surgically challenging as skull base surgery, but there is certainly much to discuss!

Editor-in-Chief, Wilco Peul, gave an update on the Brain and Spine Journal- Impact Factor now
2.5 – excellent news for the EANS! The most cited paper in Brain & Spine “Blood Biomarkers in
Traumatic Brain Injury- a narrative review of current evidence”- to date cited 32 times- was
published by Iftakher Hossain at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK. He gave a
comprehensive summary of the rapidly expanding field of biomarkers in TBI management.

The lunch hours mixed dense e-poster traffic (advanced neuro-oncology imaging/monitoring,
degenerative spine updates, adult CSF, global neurosurgery) with industry symposia. The
industrial lunch sessions are an appreciated part of the congress since state-of-the-art scientific
overviews as well as innovations and technical progress are presented, of gain to our neurosurgical
work and to our patients. One keeps thinking how happy we are to live in an era
of such achievements in neurosurgery where technological advances and clinical management
refinements have merged. A visit to the exhibitors is truly exceedingly fruitful- and generates
many ideas and possibilities. This means that while Vienna’s Opera House was part of a “Mission
Impossible” movie, the Vienna Congress Center is home to a Neurosurgical Mission Possible. 

The Spine Plenary started with Norbert Weidner presenting novel work on the treatment of
Nogo-A inhibition for spinal cord injury (SCI). Is there finally a medical treatment available to
promote recovery in SCI- the recent trial is based on cutting-edge basic science. It has now
been evaluated clinically, with promising results to build on for the near future. Spine giant
Bernhard Meyer then discussed the technical aspects of spine surgery, particularly the
positioning of spinal patients. Patient selection and navigated minimally invasive techniques
are the key. You wanted to know how to correct cervical spine deformity? Then the talk by
Enrico Tessitore was perfect for you, where navigated-assisted techniques were nicely outlined.
Some truly complex cases were on display here! And the talk stirred much interest – evident by
the high number of questions addressed after his presentation. There were two best abstract
presentations on highly relevant topics. First, Nadia Simoes de Souza compared foraminotomy
to ACDF in the FACET study, including 265 patients. There were very few differences among the
groups, with posterior foraminotomy non-inferior to ACDF, while it had a slightly higher
frequency of recurrent symptoms and re-operations. Then, Maria Blagia presented her work on
intraoperative vancomycin aiming at reducing surgical site infection in instrumented spinal
fusion surgery.

The short plenary on Chronic Subdural Hematoma (CSDH) and MMA embolisation was highly
attended, reflecting the huge interest in the topic. In this short, high-energy block on CSDHs
examined where MMA embolisation belongs in the treatment pathways: primary therapy,
adjunct to surgery, or for recurrence. Surgical, endovascular, and combined strategies were
weighed with a focus on patient selection, as well as safety and costs. First, Jiri Bartek, Jr,
reported on the consensus work and the rather conflicting data that exist on the efficacy of
MMA embolisation for CSDH. Jildaz Caroff then presented several important technical and
anatomical aspects of the procedure, crucial for the safety of the procedure. Regarding this
rather novel procedure, there are numerous unsettled questions and controversies. No one
could address these uncertainties better- and more critically- than Rahul Raj, raising the
scientific level of the topic. Finally, Nikolay Velinov reported on the indications for endovascular
treatment, arguing that MMA embolisation can be used for first-line treatment in certain,
selected patients. Could combined embolisation and drainage in one setting be the best
alternative? Overall, this session navigated the field in a scientifically-oriented direction on when
to use, and not to use, MMA embolisation and where data are currently lacking.

This year, there were an unprecedented number of abstracts and those of you that attended
Wednesday´s poster sessions learned much about neurosurgery. Participants enjoyed the “off
the typical neurosurgical topic” afternoon presentations on history and education, areas of key
relevance for neurosurgery, and the posters on neurotrauma, spinal cord injury and
neurocritical care also received deserved attention. The use of earphones, novel to this EANS
Congress, clearly improved the overall quality of the e-poster presentations.

In the afternoon, there were many presentations with relevant and novel findings. This included
6 parallel sessions on vascular (unruptured aneurysm risk and repair), neuro-oncology (rare &
extra-axial tumors), radiosurgery (pediatric AVMs), Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM;
facial-nerve preservation in CPA surgery–surgeon–neurophysiology teamwork), ethics &
international law (global collaboration without legal blind spots), and young neurosurgeon (AI
in education and practice) topics. In addition, there were two masterclasses (CSF
neuroendoscopy; updates in pediatric brain tumours). As we waltz through one corridor after
the other, knowing there are many fascinating talks ongoing, we wonder how Viennese
Sigmund Freud would have treated our indecisiveness regarding which talk to attend. Perhaps
a session on his famous couch, on how to make difficult decisions, would have been needed!
There was an excellent session on unruptured aneurysm. While these entities may be “easier” to
operate on than when they have ruptured and the brain being “angry”, the increasing detection
of unruptured aneurysms on routine neuroimaging raises questions on when to operate, or
when to follow. The talks included e.g., prediction of adverse events, reports from an UK study
(the ROAR study), how to follow unruptured intracranial aneurysms (and for how long), adverse
events and which patients who are at risk of an unfavorable outcome.

As the congress draws to an end, we should acknowledge the tremendous work of recent and
incoming presidents- Andreas Demetriades, Torstein R. Meling, Francesco Sala and Claudius
Thomé- since their importance cannot be overestimated as they shape the focus, collaborations
and future of European neurosurgery. We all closed a day that balanced technique, systems
thinking, and real-world implementation. The spirits of the congress remain high- like the
Viennese St. Stephen’s spire- and hopefully all enjoyed Vienna at night while remaining sharp
for the final hours of the congress on Thursday.

EANS Functional Neurosurgery Section Initiatives

The Functional Neurosurgery Section consists of a group of 15 panel members, who are renowned European neurosurgeons dedicated to the fields of Epilepsy Surgery, Deep Brain Stimulation (for various indications), and Surgery for Pain and Spasticity.

The Section is highly active ijustifyiple areas, including the creation of an attractive scientific
programme for the annual EANS Congress, as well as the organisation of Joint Symposia with
members of sister societies, like the ESSFN, and with other EANS sections.

A key initiative of the Section is the EANS Epilepsy Surgery Hands-on Brain Dissection Course,
which takes place annually.

This is a three-day course dedicated to Epilepsy Surgery. The course, offering both a basic and
advanced level of training, is open to a maximum of 16 participants (5th-6th year trainees and
young neurosurgeons). Participants receive theoretical lectures and practical supervision
during brain dissection from over 20 renowned European and American epilepsy surgeons.

For the past two years, the course has taken place at the Anatomy Lab of the University Hospital
in Vienna. It will also be organised in Vienna in 2026, and individual EANS members interested
in Epilepsy Surgery are strongly encouraged to apply.
Further activities include the participation of section panel members in the EANS training
courses for Functional Neurosurgery.

Last but not least, since training and education are among the key goals of the section, we have
organised annual webinars featuring 2–3 keynote speakers in the field of Functional
Neurosurgery. These experts discuss surgical approaches, new techniques, and emerging
developments under the guidance of a moderator.
Upcoming Webinars

Please visit the EANS website and the Section’s homepage for announcements.
Every EANS individual member is welcome to become a member of this section and is
encouraged to actively contribute!With gratitude,
EANS Functional Neurosurgery Section

New ethico-legal challenges for ever-expanding
neurosurgical frontiers

Over the past year, this has led to the preparation of scientific manuscripts in collaboration with
the Young Neurosurgeons’ Committee and the Examination Committee, which explored how
artificial intelligence could change our approach to academic work, clinical dilemmas and even
in the preparation of written questions for the European Board of Neurological Surgery
examination. All publications, so far, have been indexed in Brain and Spine, which allows
effective dissemination and impact through its open access model.

Throughout the year the second pillar of our work consisted of organising educational events
where ethico-legal matters affecting our subspecialities could be discussed with experts from
within and outside the EANS family. This effort has led to the preparation of webinars with the
Global and Humanitarian Committee and Paediatric Section, with high volume of registrations
and live attendees. More importantly, the Ethico-Legal Committee has joined forces with the
Serbian Neurosurgical Society and will be actively involved in their annual congress scheduled
for the 23-26 October in Novi Sad, where the following themes will be covered: Digital Health,
Patients’ Safety, Medico-Legal Responsibilities, Professional Standards, Moral Values, etc.

The EANS is going through exciting times: with new challenges come greater opportunities for
the expansion of our horizons, and the Ethico-Legal Committee remains committed, now more
than ever, to reflect on them all and provide timely answers to the Board and to all our
international members. For the first time, we have expanded our footprint in EANS2025, where
we will be chairing one plenary and two parallel sessions; this is a threefold increase in our usual
contributions to previous annual congresses. Along with our contribution to the preparation of
an EANS Professional Standards Guideline, this contribution to the Annual Congress
demonstrates the mandate given to us by the EANS Board. Hence, join us in Vienna, bring your
questions and propose new solutions, and we will be there to listen!
The Ethico-legal Committee

The Ethico-Legal Committee continues to engage with discussions across the EANS family on how to tackle new challenges posed by the ever-expanding technological revolution that is impacting our professional lives.

Hamburg Reception Brings Warm Welcome and Excitement
for Next Year’s Congress

The EANS2026 Hamburg Reception took place during the EANS2025 Congress, bringing
together delegates for an enjoyable networking event. Attendees shared drinks, lively
conversations, and received small gifts, offering a glimpse of what awaits in Hamburg next year.

Professors Manfred Westphal and Veit Rohde, Co-Chairs of the EANS2026 Congress,
personally welcomed guests to the booth. Amid a warm atmosphere, they shared their
enthusiasm for the upcoming event and extended a heartfelt invitation to
all participants to join the EANS2026 Congress, which will take place from 30 September to 4 October
2026 at the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg.

EANS Lifetime Achievement Award, Bernhard Meyer &
Claudius Thomé

During the EANS2025 Congress, EANS honoured Prof. Bernhard Meyer, Professor of
Neurosurgery (Munich), with the EANS Lifetime Achievement Award for his remarkable
contributions to the field of neurosurgery. The award was presented by Prof. Claudius Thomé,
President of the EANS2025 Congress. Following the presentation, Prof. Thomé engaged in a
discussion with Prof. Meyer about his selection and the significance of the award. Watch the full interview!

EANS Award for Exceptional Service to European
Neurosurgery 2025: Hugues Duffau & Johannes van Loon

During the EANS2025 Congress, the EANS honoured  Dr. Hugues Duffau and Prof. Johannes
van Loon with the EANS Award for Exceptional Service to European Neurosurgery in
recognition of their outstanding dedication and long-standing commitment to the neurosurgical community.

EANS Award for Exceptional Service to European Neurosurgery 2025: Hugues Duffau & Johannes van Loon

Get a chance to win a free registration for the EANS2026 Congress in Hamburg. The steps are easy:

The post with the most likes on the EANS2025 Social Wall will win free registration to the Congress. Don’t miss out — Hamburg is waiting!

Not a member yet? Join the EANS Family!
Now is the time to join the EANS family – a colourful, open, diverse, ever-evolving, and always on-the-move neurosurgical community.
Join EANS today.

EXPLORE THE CONGRESS

Follow us on Social media and
stay tuned for the rest of the Journey!

Copyright © 2025 EANS, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you are a neurosurgeon known to the EANS, and we would like to
update you with neurosurgical news and events from the Europe and across the world. To unsubscribe,
please follow the links at the end of this email.

Our mailing address is:
EANS
Rue d’Egmont 11
Brussels BE-1000
Belgium
Add us to your address book

A great congress is nearing its end - but not quite yet! Potentially, the Viennese
neurosurgical spirit, or why not a Vienna Skull Base approach, could be as
famous as the Wiener Waltz. Let´s summarise Wednesday, shall we, and be inspired by the
never-ending enthusiasm of the speakers, industry partners, and participants. 

We started at 07.00 - truly the “early bird catches the worm” - and the day began
strongly with brisk sessions in spine (cervical degeneration, trauma pearls),
neuro-oncology (function-preserving resections, supramarginal strategies), and trends
& innovation (AI, robotics, advanced imaging). Skull base focused on anterolateral
corridors, and the functional parallel explored DBS refinements with attention to
complications and outcomes. A Trauma Masterclass explored dementia/TBI
trajectories, while CSF problem-solving offered practical endoscopy tips. Coffee time
saw lively exchanges around chronic subdural hematoma data and education/Young
Neurosurgeons’ initiatives in the e-poster zone.

These morning sessions were followed by a Keynote Lecture by none other than the
true neurosurgical legend Robert F. Spetzler. His impact in the areas of vascular and
skull base neurosurgery cannot be overemphasised. He is the Emeritus President and
CEO of the Barrow Neurological Institute, with publication and surgical records that
are nothing short of impressive. He emphasised, among other things, the importance
of collaboration, and reminded us that for hard-working neurosurgeons, it is crucial to
dedicate time to friends, family and sports - despite the demands of a neurosurgical
workload. The word “inspirational” summarises his talk, and he deservedly received a
prolonged standing ovation for his contributions.

The Trauma plenary was nothing short of game-changing. Wilco Peul presented how
the new TBI classification will change how we view and study our TBI patients in the
coming years, since our current classification into mild, moderate and severe TBI does
not sufficiently explain outcome prediction. Guy Rosenthal presented new penetrating
guidelines that will be in press by Christmas. These guidelines are highly anticipated
and important, not least in view of many global armed conflicts currently ongoing. In
this congress, much wartime data has been presented compellingly by our Ukrainian
friends. Then, Niklas Marklund addressed the topic of dementia risks and chronic
traumatic encephalopathy in previous athletes, something often uncritically addressed
in the media. These dementia risks should be weighed against the overall huge benefits
of participating in sports. Then, Corrado Iaccarino elegantly elaborated on the
potential role for basal cisternostomy in severe TBI, a procedure that has raised both
critical questions and safety concerns. Finally, there were presentations from the two
awardees selected for the best abstracts. Both were on chronic subdural hematoma,
one by Jugoslav Ivanovic on novel medical management and Jehuda Soleman on the
potential to avoid interrupting aspirin for chronic subdural hematoma surgery. Chronic
subdural hematoma may not be as surgically challenging as skull base surgery, but
there is certainly much to discuss! 

Editor-in-Chief, Wilco Peul, gave an update on the Brain and Spine Journal- Impact
Factor now 2.5 - excellent news for the EANS! The most cited paper in Brain & Spine
“Blood Biomarkers in Traumatic Brain Injury- a narrative review of current evidence”- to
date cited 32 times- was published by Iftakher Hossain at Imperial College
Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK. He gave a comprehensive summary of the rapidly
expanding field of biomarkers in TBI management.

The lunch hours mixed dense e-poster traffic (advanced neuro-oncology
imaging/monitoring, degenerative spine updates, adult CSF, global neurosurgery) with
industry symposia. The industrial lunch sessions are an appreciated part of the
congress since state-of-the-art scientific overviews as well as innovations and
technical progress are presented, of gain to our neurosurgical work and to our
patients. One keeps thinking how happy we are to live in an era of such achievements
in neurosurgery where technological advances and clinical management refinements
have merged. A visit to the exhibitors is truly exceedingly fruitful- and generates many
ideas and possibilities. This means that while Vienna’s Opera House was part of a
“Mission Impossible” movie, the Vienna Congress Center is home to a Neurosurgical Mission Possible. 

The Spine Plenary started with Norbert Weidner presenting novel work on the
treatment of Nogo-A inhibition for spinal cord injury (SCI). Is there finally a medical
treatment available to promote recovery in SCI- the recent trial is based on
cutting-edge basic science. It has now been evaluated clinically, with promising results
to build on for the near future. Spine giant Bernhard Meyer then discussed the technical
aspects of spine surgery, particularly the positioning of spinal patients. Patient
selection and navigated minimally invasive techniques are the key. You wanted to
know how to correct cervical spine deformity? Then the talk by Enrico Tessitore was
perfect for you, where navigated-assisted techniques were nicely outlined. Some truly
complex cases were on display here! And the talk stirred much interest - evident by
the high number of questions addressed after his presentation. There were two best
abstract presentations on highly relevant topics. First, Nadia Simoes de Souza
compared foraminotomy to ACDF in the FACET study, including 265 patients. There
were very few differences among the groups, with posterior foraminotomy non-inferior
to ACDF, while it had a slightly higher frequency of recurrent symptoms and
re-operations. Then, Maria Blagia presented her work on intraoperative vancomycin
aiming at reducing surgical site infection in instrumented spinal fusion surgery. 

The short plenary on Chronic Subdural Hematoma (CSDH) and MMA embolisation
was highly attended, reflecting the huge interest in the topic. In this short, high-energy
block on CSDHs examined where MMA embolisation belongs in the treatment
pathways: primary therapy, adjunct to surgery, or for recurrence. Surgical,
endovascular, and combined strategies were weighed with a focus on patient selection,
as well as safety and costs. First, Jiri Bartek, Jr, reported on the consensus work and
the rather conflicting data that exist on the efficacy of MMA embolisation for CSDH.
Jildaz Caroff then presented several important technical and anatomical aspects of the
procedure, crucial for the safety of the procedure. Regarding this rather novel
procedure, there are numerous unsettled questions and controversies. No one could
address these uncertainties better- and more critically- than Rahul Raj, raising the
scientific level of the topic. Finally, Nikolay Velinov reported on the indications for
endovascular treatment, arguing that MMA embolisation can be used for first-line
treatment in certain, selected patients. Could combined embolisation and drainage in one
setting be the best alternative? Overall, this session navigated the field in a
scientifically-oriented direction on when to use, and not to use, MMA embolisation and where
data are currently lacking. 

This year, there were an unprecedented number of abstracts and those of you that
attended Wednesday´s poster sessions learned much about neurosurgery.
Participants enjoyed the “off the typical neurosurgical topic” afternoon presentations
on history and education, areas of key relevance for neurosurgery, and the posters on
neurotrauma, spinal cord injury and neurocritical care also received deserved
attention. The use of earphones, novel to this EANS Congress, clearly improved the overall quality of the
e-poster presentations.

In the afternoon, there were many presentations with relevant and novel findings. This
included 6 parallel sessions on vascular (unruptured aneurysm risk and repair),
neuro-oncology (rare & extra-axial tumors), radiosurgery (pediatric AVMs), Intraoperative
neuromonitoring (IONM; facial-nerve preservation in CPA surgery–surgeon–
neurophysiology teamwork), ethics & international law (global collaboration without
legal blind spots), and young neurosurgeon (AI in education and practice) topics. In
addition, there were two masterclasses (CSF neuroendoscopy; updates in pediatric
brain tumours). As we waltz through one corridor after the other, knowing there are
many fascinating talks ongoing, we wonder how Viennese Sigmund Freud would have
treated our indecisiveness regarding which talk to attend. Perhaps a session on his
famous couch, on how to make difficult decisions, would have been needed! There was
an excellent session on unruptured aneurysm. While these entities may be “easier” to
operate on than when they have ruptured and the brain being “angry”, the increasing
detection of unruptured aneurysms on routine neuroimaging raises questions on when
to operate, or when to follow. The talks included e.g., prediction of adverse events,
reports from an UK study (the ROAR study), how to follow unruptured intracranial
aneurysms (and for how long), adverse events and which patients who are at risk of an
unfavorable outcome.

As the congress draws to an end, we should acknowledge the tremendous work of
recent and incoming presidents- Andreas Demetriades, Torstein R. Meling, Francesco
Sala and Claudius Thomé- since their importance cannot be overestimated as they
shape the focus, collaborations and future of European neurosurgery. We all closed a
day that balanced technique, systems thinking, and real-world implementation. The
spirits of the congress remain high- like the Viennese St. Stephen’s spire- and hopefully
all enjoyed Vienna at night while remaining sharp for the final hours of the congress on Thursday.

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