6th International Congress of Slovenian Society for Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Austria Trend Hotel, Ljubljana • 5–7 June, 2025

Sixth Congress of the Slovenian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Dear colleagues,

I am pleased to extend an invitation to the Sixth Congress of the Slovenian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (www.szgh.si), which will take place in Austria Trend Hotel Ljubljana (https://www.austria-trend.at/en/hotels/hotel-ljubljana) from June 6th to 7th, 2025.

Colleagues from more than 20 different countries will take part in the congress.

Gastrointestinal diseases represent a major burden on the population and the health system. The proportion of patients with gastrointestinal diseases is constantly increasing, not only due to the aging of the population, but also the way of life nowadays. Progress with new findings, development of new therapeutic approaches, new diagnostic methods contribute to a better treatment outcome, but at the same time they pose additional challenges. Research in many areas of gastroenterology and hepatology continues to progress rapidly. The key for us clinics is to follow this and integrate innovations into our daily work in a timely manner, because only in this way will we be able to offer superior and sufficiently high-quality treatment to our patients. Therefore, the main purpose of this meeting is to show the innovations in many gastroenterological fields, such as IBD, diseases of the lower and upper gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas, endoscopy, imaging diagnostics, pathology, and surgery.

A special section is dedicated to artificial intelligence and its current and future role in our work.

As part of the congress, the Central European Gastroenterology Forum will take place on June 5, 2025, where we will discuss the quality of treatment of patients with gastrointestinal diseases, different practices in different environments. and how to achieve unification with the aim of maintaining and, above all, raising the quality level. In addition, the purpose of the forum is to further encourage cooperation in this part of Europe.

The congress is intended for physicians in GI/hepatology, abdominal surgery, radiology, oncology, and pathology, general medicine, and medical technicians.

The Slovenian Association of Medical Technicians will also hold a parallel professional meeting in GI endoscopy.

Our meetings are supported by sponsors. I invite you not to miss the opportunity to, as a sponsor from the pharmaceutical and/or industrial milieu, present your company, your latest achievements, and take advantage of the opportunity to exchange opinions with experts who share the passion and desire to improve the health and life of people with gastrointestinal diseases.

Medical Chamber of Slovenia has granted 16 CME points to the meeting.

On behalf of the organizing committee,

Milan Stefanovic M.D., AGAF
President of SAGH

Registration of participants

Thursday at 15:00–19:00;

Friday at 7:00–19:00

Program

Thursday, June 5th, 2025

TIME	TITLE
16:00–18:30	Central European Gastroenterology Forum: Quality of colonoscopy with an emphasis on sedation, where are we and how to move forward? Different experiences in different countries and how to harmonize positive practice? (for the development of relationships and about possible cooperation in the field of gastroenterology and hepatology)
20:00	Faculty dinner

Friday, June 6th, 2025

TIME	TITLE	SPEAKERS
08:00–8:30	Opening ceremony of the congress
	Speakers: Slovenian Medical Chamber President Bojana Beović, United European Gastroenterology Vice President and President elect Joost Drenth, Slovenian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology President Milan Stefanović.

	1. IBD
	Moderators: Drobne D, Smrekar N, Krznarić Ž.
08:40–08:55	New guidelines for the treatment of Crohn's disease	Hanžel J.
08:55–09:10	IBD remission after switching from IV to SC administration of vedolizumab	Pintar Š.
09:10–09:25	Maintenance of IBD remission after switching from IV to SC administration of infliximab	Ocepek A.
09:25–09:40	Surgical treatment of IBD	Grosek J.
09:40–09:55	Tracing Transmural Healing in Crohn's Disease with MRI	Rudolf S.
09:55–10:10	PICaSSO Histologic Remission Index–a new histologic score for monitoring mucosal healing and predicting clinical outcomes in UC	Zidar N.
	Panel discussion (10 minutes)
10:20-10:40	Satellite Takeda (Bronze Sponsor): Crohn's Disease in Focus: Integrating Ultrasound in Evaulation of Transmural Healing.	F. Peterson - Germany
	Coffee Break 10 min

	2. Lower gastrointestinal tract
	Moderators: Stefanović M, Jovanović I, R. Mesihović
10:50–11:10	AI in pT1 colorectal carcinoma	Schoon E.
11:10–11:30	Advanced endoscopic therapeutic interventions in the Slovenian Programme for Early Detection and Prevention of Colorectal Cancer (SVIT). When, Who and How?	Stefanović M.
11:30–11:50	Endoscopic therapy: What can we learn from Japan/ tips and tricks	Minato Y.
11:50–12:05	Contribution of the SVIT Program to the reduction of the burden of colorectal cancer in Slovenia	Zadnik V.
12:05–12:20	Watch and wait approach to the treatment of rectal carcinomas	Brecelj E.
12:20–12:35	Response to neoadjuvant treatment of rectal adenocarcinoma: the role and potential burden of MRI in the watch and wait approach?	Garbajs M.
	Panel discussion (10 min)
12.45–13:25	Satellite Eli Lilly (Silver Sponsor) Setting New Standards in Long Term Remission with OMVOH in UC	D. Drobne, N. Smrekar, A. Ocepek

13:30–14:30	Lunch

	3. HBP endoscopy
	Moderators: Plut S, Hauser G, Hindryckx P.
14:30–14:45	European cholangioscopy guidelines	Stefanović S.
14:45–15:00	EUS guided gallbladder drainage	Hindryckx P.
15:00–15:15	Therapeutic options in patients with surgically altered anatomy–enteroscopy-assisted or laparoscopy-assisted ERCP	Bokun T.
15:15–15:30	ERCP complications	Djuranović S.
15:30–15:45	Advanced percutaneous biliary procedures–what is new?	Dežman R.
15:45–16:00	Minimal liver surgery (past, present, future)	Edwin B.
	Panel discussion (10 min)
16:10–16:50	Satellite AstraZeneca (Silver Sponsor)	Štabuc B: Bridging Theory and Practice: Treatment Strategies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma AND Zaplotnik M: Exploring HIMALAYA: Success Stories and Challenges in HCC Treatment
	Coffee Break 10 min

	4. Diseases of the liver
	Moderators: Štabuc B, Bevanda M, Milić S. Husić A.
17:00–17:15	Autoimmune hepatitis	Drenth J.
17:15–17:30	Stratification of liver disease severity by ultrasound elastography	Grgurević I.
17:30–17:45	Complications after liver surgery	Trotovšek B.
17:45–18:00	Radioembolization of the liver (our experience)	Popovič P.
18:15–18:30	Does surgical treatment of benign liver tumors affect the survival and quality of life of patients?	Ivanecz A.
18:30–18:45	Advanced systemic therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma	Boltežar G.
	Panel discussion (10 min)
19:00 - 19:30	Guided Poster Tour	Štabuc B., Drobne D., Tepeš. K., Ivanecz A.

20:00	Dinner

Saturday, June 7th, 2025

TIME	TITLE	SPEAKERS
	Breakfast section/ interactive/ round table

08:00-09:30	In advance registration of participants. No registration fee for participants. Participation in set is limited to 70 participants.

	Endoscopy and AI, Where are we?
	Moderators: Stefanović M, Schoon E, Gams M
08:00 - 08:20	AI (Introductory lecture) Inštitut Jožef Stefan	Gams M.
08:20–08:40	Role of artificial intelligence in endoscopy	Gavrić A, Plut S, Strniša L.
08:40–09:00	AI in endoscopy our study results	Ejaz H.
09:00–09:20	Discusion with the Panelists and Auditorium i. Role of artificial intelligence in endoscopy ii. Study results iii. Future directions

	Moderators: Orel R, Tack J, Labenz J.
	5. Nutrition, microbiota Functional disorders of digestion, Diagnostics and therapy
09:35–09:50	Functional diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in children	Orel R.
09:50–10:05	Short bowel syndrome	Košir Božič T.
10:05–10:25	Gastroparesis, what is new in etiology, diagnostics and treatment	Tack J.
10:25–10:45	EoE, what is new in etiology, diagnostics and treatment	Labenz J.
	Panel discussion (10 min)
10:55 - 11:25	Satellite Servier (Bronze Sponsor)
	Coffee Break 10 min

	6. Diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract
	Moderators: Tepeš B, Djuranović S, Park J Y.
11:35–11:55	IARC Expert group Guidance on the implementation of population–based Helicobacter pylori test-and-treat strategies for prevention of gastric cancer	Park J Y.
11:55–12:15	NIJZ Trends in incidence and survival of patient with gastric cancer in Slovenia	Kofol T B.
12:15–12:35	The results of H pylori test and treat implementation studies in Slovenia and EU (EUROHELICAN, TOGAS WP 4 Study	Tepeš B.
12:35–12:55	Cost benefit analysis of the National H pylori test and treat program in Slovenia	Vogelar I L/ Mulder D.
12:55–13:15	Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer: Is prophylactic gastrectomy indicated for healthy carriers of CDH1 gene mutations?	Omejc M.
	Panel discussion (10 min)
13:25–13:45	Satellite AbbVie (Bronze Sponsor): How do we treat ASUC in 2025?	D. Drobne
13:45-14:20	Lunch

	7. Pancreatic diseases
	Moderators: Tomažič A, Potrč S, Partelli S.
14:20–14:35	Radiological diagnosis and follow-up of pancreatic cysts	Dežman R.
14:35–14:50	Neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas (Histo-Pathology)	Luzar B.
14:50–15:05	Pancreatic NETs refining indications through observation, surgery and multimodal treatment strategies	Partelli S.
15:05–15:20	Total pancreatectomy–when and why?	Potrč S.
15:20–15:35	Clinical evidence in MIPS	Petrič M.
15:35–15:50	Neoadjuvant treatment in PDAC–only for borderline resectable tumors?	Šmid L.
15:50–16:05	Vaccines in the treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma	Ocvirk J.
16:05–16:20	Clinical consequences of autoimmune pancreatitis	Nikolić S.
	Panel discussion (10 min)
	Coffee Break 10 min

	8. A and B
	A. Endoscopy / surgery / radiology /oncology
	Moderators: M. Stefanović, Grosek J, Dugalić P.
16:40–16:50	Dilemmas of surgical treatment of acute diverticulitis	Janež J.
16:50–17:00	ICG imaging in abdominal surgery	Košir J A.
17:00–17:10	Hemorrhoids embolization–experimental procedure or a new tool in a box	Štabuc M.
17:10–17:20	UKC Lj. IPMN management–Fukuoka consensus vs.European Evidence-based Guidelines	Đokić M.
17:20–17:30	Diagnostic work-up of colorectal tumors carcinoma mimickers	Šifer K K.
17:30–17:40	Robotic abdominal surgery–past, present and the future	Grosek J.
17:40–17:50	Liver metastases detection and staging with CT and MRI: methods and problems	Garbajs M.
	Panel discussion (10 min)

18:00–19:00	Poster selection committee: Štabuc B, Novak G, Tepeš K, Ivanecz A.
	B. Poster session, presentation of the best award-winning posters

19:00	End of the meeting

Organizing committee
President: M Stefanovič
Secretary: S Stefanovič

Members of the organizing committee
J Grosek, B Ilijevec, A Ivanecz, S Potrč, B Štabuc, B Tepeš, K Tepeš, A. Tomažič.

Scientific Committee
E Brecelj, D Čeranič, D Drobne, A Forte, M Garbajs, J Grosek, A Ivanecz, R Kneževič, U Kogovšek, B Krebs, K Novak, G Novak, A Ocepek, M. Omejc, R Orel, S Plut, S Potrč, M Stefanovič, S Stefanovič, L Šmid, B Štabuc, B Tepeš, K Tepeš, A Tomažič, B Trotovšek, J Volfand in N Zidar.

Active participation:

This year, we cordially invite everyone to actively participate in the professional program of the 6th Congress of the Slovenian Association for Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

You can participate with a poster presentation on the following topics:

1. An interesting or educational clinical case,

2. An analysis of your own clinical work (e.g., a case series),

3. A presentation of the results of scientific research tasks or projects.

The abstract should be up to 300 words in length. Please submit it no later than April 30, 2025.

Detailed instructions for preparing the poster will be provided to authors after the selection process. The best contributions (posters) will be awarded.

As part of the professional meeting, poster presentations are expected to take place in the form of a guided tour.

Authors should send their written abstracts to the meeting’s program committee at the following address: tajnik@szgh.si

Congress registration:

To apply online, please fill out the form:

Registration fee	€200 to IBAN SI56 0400 1004 8740 937 (Slovenian Association of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zdraviliški trg 9, 3250 Rogaška Slatina) or at the congress. Please send the receipt of payment of the registration fee to Ms. Romana Lenarčič romana.lenarcic@dc-bled.si.
Exempt from registration fee	Active participants, residents, honorary members and retirees.
Registration	– Via email to romana.lenarcic@dc-bled.si – Via the online form or – At the congress.

Accommodation:

Austria Trend Hotel Ljubljana (https://www.austria-trend.at/en/hotels/hotel-ljubljana)

Click here for hotel room reservation!

Payment	Participants will cover their own accommodation with breakfast, tourist tax and all additional services (mini bar, fitness, spa, parking…). Upon check-in at the hotel, participants present a credit card to pay for hotel services (bed and breakfast, tourist tax and any additional services – mini bar, fitness, spa, parking…).
Cancellation fees	Participants can cancel their accommodation free of charge up to 7 days before arrival. In case of later cancellation or no-show, cancellation fees in the amount of the booked nights will be charged.