ESCP 2018 got off to a fantastic start with the most delegates we’ve ever had welcomed to our Annual and Scientific meeting - over 1,700. Again we are proving that there is demand for a quality programme packed with world-class keynote speakers, inspiring symposia, in-depth educational and top class research sessions.
The highlights of day one on the French Rivera spanned the influence of microbiomes, how using hashtags can enhance your research projects and whether you are brave enough to truly engage with patients.
On top of that Nuri Okkabaz from Turkey was presented with the Lars Påhlman ESBQ medal by former ESCP president, Emmanuel Tiret and there were insights from TaTME clinical practice in China.
The first keynote lecture was from John Alverdy, the world renowned expert in microbial pathogenesis of infections which occur post-surgery. Chair of the session, Des Winter predicted his insights would ‘change the way we think’.
As well as the first ever joint symposium between EHTG and ESCP, which featured Sir John Burn, there was the Tips Tricks and Error Traps Symposium offering insights from three world-renowned speakers - Steven Wexner from USA, Bill Heald from UK and Michael Solomon from Australia.
The afternoon symposium took a look at what’s new in immuno- and chemotherapy in relation to colorectal tumours with reports from Diane Goere and Thierry Andre (both from France) and Harm Rutten from The Netherlands.
The last (but definitely not the least) session of the day in the Nice Acropolis Palais Des Congrés’ impressive plenary hall was the inspiring educational session led by Richard Brady. Coloproctology 3.0 looked at the cutting edge of online innovation and was packed with stimulating speakers ranging from patient advocate, Michael Seres to Sam Atallah from USA outlining the cutting edge of techniques including AI, virtual navigation and robotics and not to forget self-confessed Twitter addict, Steven Wexner from USA.
Other day one highlights included the International Trials Results Forum which featured fascinating findings from six different trials – TREC, TREND, COLOFOL, ROCSS, EuroSurg Student Initiative - IMAGINE Study and the ESCP 2017 Cohort Study Update on Left Colon, Sigmoid and Rectal Resections Audit (which feature in a special edition of Colorectal Disease, available at the conference).
All in all, an exciting start to ESCP 2018.
