ROUNDTABLES

What seems to be a normality nowadays, can quickly turn into a crisis for some patients. Pregnancies are prone to develop abnormalities and when these circumstances occur, it’s important to acknowledge what to do.

Choosing between the life of a mother and her child is one of the most difficult situations a medical team can face. In these circumstances, the decision no longer belongs to the patient and doctors have to act quickly.

When medicine, ethics and law pull in different directions, it becomes hard to define what “doing the right thing” means. Saving a life comes at a high cost, especially when there is no consent or easy solution.

If you want to have a better understanding on how such decisions are made in real-life cases, then don’t hesitate to join Assoc. Prof. Mihai Popescu, MD, PhD, DESAIC specialised in anesthesiology and intensive care, Assoc. Prof. Romina-Marina Sima, MD, PhD, specialised in obstetrics and gynecology and Snr. Lect. Filip Perde, MD, PhD, specialised in forensic medicine. You will have the opportunity to participate in a heated debate, sharing and observing different points of views.

Extremely premature pregnancies (22-25 weeks of gestation) have a high level of complexity and can lead to severe consequences for both mother and fetus. Whether to intervene in such cases remains a controversial question.

Assoc. Prof. Cătălin Cîrstoveanu, MD, PhD, expert in neonatology, Irina Mărgărint, MD, specialised in pediatric cardiovascular surgery and Asst. Lect. Oana Tarța-Arsene, MD, PhD, pediatric neurology specialist, will address some of the most delicate and provoking aspects of neonatal care.

The discussion will focus on how medical teams make the difficult decision between continuing or stopping treatment in extremely premature births, taking into account not only survival, but also long-term disabilities. Emotional, ethical and scientific challenges, involved in saving lives, will also be explored, as well as what the prognosis reveals about the quality of life.

If you want to enrich your knowledge about premature cases and explore real-life situations, discussed by experienced doctors, then you shouldn’t miss out on this roundtable!

More and more couples are affected by a worldwide problem: infertility. However, the cause of this condition is not known. Some people may think the mother is responsible for causing such a serious challenge between partners, even though recent studies oppose this speculation.

This roundtable will offer a comprehensive look at infertility, focusing on a variety of subjects, from the main contributing factors to how it impacts the identity and mental health of both women and men. The debate will also address the cultural pressure surrounding infertility and highlight the importance of medical investigations for both partners in their journey towards treatment.

These topics will be explored by Asst. Lect. Ileana Delia Săbău, MD, PhD, medical genetics specialist, Snr. Lect. Șerban Radian, MD, PhD, endocrinology expert, Corina Georgescu, MD, gynecologist and Andrei Rădulescu, MD, urologist. Prepare yourself to find out new crucial information because our guests will bring to the spotlight this major controversy.

Colorectal liver metastases represent one of the most challenging scenarios in modern oncology, where timing and strategy can make the difference between prolonged survival and missed opportunities. Should surgery be the first step, should systemic therapy take precedence, or is there a role for ablation as a primary approach?

At this roundtable, you will have the chance to explore the ideal therapeutic sequences and the most advanced minimally invasive techniques available today. From classical resection to laparoscopic surgery and radioablation, the debate will focus on the advantages, limitations, and long-term outcomes of each option.

Another critical topic will be the place of interventional radiology: is it a curative alternative or just a compromise when other methods are not possible? The discussion will balance evidence-based medicine with patient-specific considerations.

Join Prof. Lucian Negreanu, MD, PhD, specialised in gastroenterology, Assoc. Prof. Valentin Calu, MD, PhD, general surgeon, Asst. Lect. Ana Maria Popa, MD, PhD, specialised in oncology and Assoc. Prof. Cristian-Mugur Grasu, MD, PhD, expert in interventional radiology, for an insightful exchange on how to manage these complex, life-defining decisions.

Endocarditis remains one of the most complex and high-risk conditions in cardiovascular medicine. Diagnosis is not always straightforward, as some patients may lack clear signs, making it difficult to recognise the disease and start the right treatment in time.

This roundtable will discuss how to approach diagnosis when symptoms are subtle, how to adapt treatment to each case, and how antibiotic resistance is changing current practice. The preferred duration of therapy today and the problems that arise when artificial valves are involved will also be discussed.

Another key question is when medical treatment is no longer enough. How long can we wait before moving to surgery? How do we know when that point has been reached? These challenges will be addressed in a captivating dialogue that brings together perspectives from cardiology, infectious diseases and cardiovascular surgery.

Snr. Lect. Sebastian Onciul, MD, PhD, cardiology specialist, Asst. Lect. Silvia Preda, MD, PhD, cardiovascular surgeon, and Asst. Lect. Cristian-Mihail Niculae, MD, PhD, expert in infectious diseases, will bring together their perspectives on the balance between medical and surgical approaches.

As the prevalence of gastrointestinal diseases increases and personalised treatments become more prominent, short bowel syndrome is gaining greater attention. This complex condition presents significant challenges in digestion and nutrition, directly affecting a patient’s overall well-being.

This event will provide a deeper understanding of how the syndrome develops, the conditions that can trigger it, and why early recognition is essential. Discussion will focus on personalised treatment approaches and the central role of intravenous feeding in supporting patients. Moreover, it is essential to highlight how these therapies are used in different healthcare systems across Europe and worldwide, and what can be learned from their successes and disadvantages.

Assoc. Prof. Liliana-Elena Mirea, MD, PhD (Anaesthesia and Intensive Care), Snr. Lect. Dragoș Ene, MD, PhD (General Surgery) and Prof. Gabriel Constantinescu, MD, PhD (Gastroenterology), will share their expertise, bringing much-needed attention to a condition that is too often overlooked.