Medical Practice Technical Challenges
Thyroid:
Thyroid and Parathyroid Pathology: Conservative vs Surgical Management - Hands-on Cadaver Lab Course
25-M56
May 29th 2026 - May 30th 2026
COURSE COORDINATORS
Luís Silveira (MD, PhD) ,
Maria Olímpia Cid (MD) ,
Vitor Moura Guedes (MD)
COURSE PRESENTATION
The course is designed to provide a comprehensive and immersive experience through hands-on cadaver dissection and advanced three-dimensional visualisation to ensure that participants acquire the practical skills and anatomical knowledge necessary to perform surgical procedures involving the thyroid and parathyroid glands.
During this course participants will learn to conduct a comprehensive and detailed exploration of the anatomy of the neck with a particular emphasis on accurately identifying and preserving key structures (such as the laryngeal nerves and parathyroid glands) and will also acquire a comprehensive understanding of the anatomical variations in order to avoid complications.
Critical thinking will be encouraged through a multidisciplinary approach in order to select the most appropriate surgical technique for each case. Surgical procedures, namely parathyroidectomy, thyroidectomy, lymph node neck dissection, sternotomy and emergency procedures, will be practiced using hands-on cadaver resources, commented live surgeries and case discussions.
During this course participants will learn to conduct a comprehensive and detailed exploration of the anatomy of the neck with a particular emphasis on accurately identifying and preserving key structures (such as the laryngeal nerves and parathyroid glands) and will also acquire a comprehensive understanding of the anatomical variations in order to avoid complications.
Critical thinking will be encouraged through a multidisciplinary approach in order to select the most appropriate surgical technique for each case. Surgical procedures, namely parathyroidectomy, thyroidectomy, lymph node neck dissection, sternotomy and emergency procedures, will be practiced using hands-on cadaver resources, commented live surgeries and case discussions.
TARGET AUDIENCE
General surgery and otorhinolaryngology specialists with less than five years of experience, as well as residents in their final two years of training.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES >> KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO DEVELOP
- To understand the relative pros and cons of surgery versus conservative management in each scenario, enabling participants to make informed decisions.
- To gain an in-depth understanding of the anatomy and approaches to thyroid and parathyroid glands pathologies in a risk-free environment.
- To gain hands-on experience in the identification of neck structures reinforcing both anatomical knowledge and surgical skills.
- To understand the relative pros and cons of surgery versus conservative management in each scenario, enabling participants to make informed decisions.
- To facilitate an in-depth discussion of the various surgical techniques that are commonly employed in thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy and to provide guidance to participants on how to apply clinical thinking in order to select the most appropriate surgical technique for benign and malignant pathology.
- To provide a comprehensive analysis of the advantages and disadvantages associated with each surgical approach, including a detailed discussion of the potential complications, the impact on thyroid function and the strategies for managing the potential need for future surgeries.
- To learn how to establish a connection between theoretical knowledge and real-world clinical scenarios (clinical cases, previous recorded videos, hands-on session with imaging studies).
ADMISSION CRITERIA
CV
Priority:
Priority:
- General Surgeons
- Specialists with less than five years of experience
