REGISTRATION
08:40-09:00 OPENING – Opening ceremony and welcome addresses
09:00-10:50 MORNING SESSION I – Invited lectures & HND retrospective
CHAIRS: Miroslav Vukić, Sergej Mihailovič Marasanov
09:00-09:20 Andreas Raabe – EANS 2025 guidelines on the surgical treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage – invited speaker
09:20-09:40 Jean Régis – Vestibular Schwannomas multidisciplinary management: where are we heading? – invited speaker
09:40-10:00 Ulrich Sure – Modern treatment of cavernomas – invited speaker
10:00-10:20 Dan Barrow – Cavernous Malformations: How MRI, the Microscope, and the Bench Created a New Field of Practice – invited speaker
10:20-10:40 Beverly Claire Walters – Utility of Top-Quality Survey Methodology to Answer Appropriate Neurosurgery Research Questions – invited speaker
10:40-10:50 Bruno Splavski – A brief retrospective of 30 years of neurosurgical scientific congresses of the Croatian Neurosurgical Society
10:50-11:10 COFFEE BREAK
11:10-12:50 MORNING SESSION II
CHAIRS: Nenad Kudelić, Vlatko Ledenko
11:10-11:30 Jürgen Beck – Spinal CSF leaks and SIH – a novel neurosurgical realm – invited speaker
11:30-11:50 Marco Fontanella – Surgery versus endovascular treatment for spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas: A multicenter experience – invited speaker
11:50-12:10 Volodymyr Smolanka – Surgery for temporal lobe epilepsy: does it require faster decisions? – invited speaker
12:10-12:20 Goran Mrak – Microsurgical management of insular gliomas: a ten-year single-center experience
12:20-12:30 Hrvoje Vavro – 18F FET-PET in glioma follow-up: a game changer or just another player?
12:30-12:40 Mia Jurilj Sajko – Ceramide-centered metabolic reprogramming and ganglioside remodeling in human gliomas
12:40–12:50 Marina Zmajević Schönwald – Double mapping of the motor speech cortex using preoperative navigated TMS and intraoperative direct cortical stimulation during awake glioma surgery
12:50-14:30 LUNCH BREAK
14:30-15:45 AFTERNOON SESSION I – Spine, neurotrauma & CSF disorders
CHAIRS: Karlo Houra, Hrvoje Šimić
14:30-14:40 Jurica Maraković – Our experience with O-arm-based navigation in spinal neurosurgery: a 12-year single-center experience
14:40-14:50 Karlo Houra – Endoscopic foraminoplasty for patients with single-level foraminal stenosis of the lumbar spine
14:50-15:00 Zlatko Kolić – Synergistic regenerative potential of platelet-rich plasma and microfragmented adipose tissue in degenerative disc disease: a biomarker-stratified phase 2B trial
15:00-15:15 Marijan Klarica – Effect of craniectomy on cerebrospinal fluid pressure in different body positions in an experimental cat model – Invited Presentation
15:15-15:25 Nenad Kudelić – Hydrocephalus revisited: implications of contemporary CSF physiology for neurosurgical practice
15:25-15:35 Klara Brgić Mandić – CSF biomarker dynamics during external lumbar drainage in iNPH patients as prognostic indicators for shunt responsiveness
15:35-15:45 Duje Vukas – Biomarkers and microbiome signatures in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus: pilot study results
15:45-16:05 COFFEE BREAK
16:05-17:25 AFTERNOON SESSION II – Functional neurosurgery, epilepsy
CHAIRS: Marina Raguž, Dario Josip Živković
16:05-16:25 Bernard Bendok (online) – Real-time Remote Telerobotic Magnetic Navigation for Endovascular Stroke Thrombectomy in a Simulated Mechanical Model Across 5,700 Miles – invited speaker
16:25-16:35 Darko Chudy – Deep Brain Stimulation in Disorders of Consciousness: Are We Setting the Agenda?
16:35-16:45 Jakob Nemir – Deep Brain Stimulation in pediatric patients: a singlecenter experience
16:45-16:55 Fadi Almahariq – Direct targeting in deep brain stimulation: advancing precision through modern neuroimaging and technology
16:55-17:05 Niko Njirić – The impact of stereo-electroencephalography on the evolution of resective epilepsy surgery: a 16-year single-center experience
17:05-17:15 Dominik Romić – Radiofrequency thermocoagulation for trigeminal neuralgia: our experience and a review of the literature
17:15-17:25 Marina Raguž – Personalized neuromodulation for refractory facial pain: from peripheral nerve to cortical and deep brain stimulation
REGISTRATION
09:20-09:30 OPENING – Introductory remarks, Miroslav Vukić
09:30-11:10 WFNS NEUROONCOLOGY BLOCK I
CHAIRS: Kenan Arnautović, Nelson Oyesiku
09:30-09:50 Jürgen Beck – Molecular neurosurgery – intraoperative decision-making for brain tumors – invited speaker
09:50-10:10 Andreas Raabe – Adjuncts in low-grade glioma surgery – invited speaker
10:10-10:30 Basant Misra – Clival Chordoma: Choosing the Right Approach – invited speaker
10:30-10:50 Kenan Arnautović – Giant and large pituitary adenomas: how to achieve gross total resection, improve vision and eliminate postoperative CSF leak – invited speaker
10:50-11:10 Nelson Oyesiku – Evolution and Revolution in Pituitary Medicine and Surgery – invited speaker
11:10-11:30 COFFEE BREAK
11:30-12:00 SERVIER SPONSORED SYMPOSIUM – DIAMOND SPONSOR
Advancing Glioma Care: Integrating Targeted Therapy into
Neurosurgical Practice
Speakers: Klara Brgić Mandić; Ana Mišir Krpan
Moderator: Goran Mrak
12:00-13:00 WFNS NEUROONCOLOGY BLOCK II
CHAIRS: Volodymyr Smolanka, Bruno Splavski
12:00-12:20 Roman Bošnjak – Managing intracavernous carotid artery mobilisation to expose the lateral cavernous sinus compartment safely – invited speaker
12:20-12:40 Martin Smrčka – Transcranial surgery for craniopharyngiomas, contemporary concepts and surgical corridors – invited speaker
12:40-13:00 Ibrahim Omerhodžić – Transtentorial and transfalcine approaches for deep midline brain lesions – invited speaker
13:00-14:30 LUNCH BREAK
14:30-15:50 GENERAL CONGRESS SESSION – Technology, neurooncology, pediatrics & radiosurgery
CHAIRS: Dario Mužević, Hrvoje Šimić
14:30-14:40 Ilija Perutina – Frame or frameless? A five-year comparison of intracranial tumor biopsy techniques
14:40-14:50 Dario Josip Živković – Brain biopsy using the CIRQ robotic arm: a single-center experience
14:50-15:00 Sergej Mihailovič Marasanov – Gamma Knife radiosurgery for WHO grade 2 meningiomas: single-centre Zagreb series
15:00-15:10 Vjerislav Peterković – Single-center experience of endoscopic endonasal craniopharyngioma surgery
15:10-15:20 Hrvoje Jednačak – Embryonal tumor with multilayered rosettes (ETMR): a single-surgeon experience
15:20-15:30 Miroslav Gjurašin – Neurosurgical treatment of pediatric Chiari I patients: balancing actual controversies and clinical decisions
15:30-15:40 Joško Bilandžić – MMA embolization as a stand-alone treatment for chronic subdural hematoma – single-centre experience
15:40-15:50 Ivan Pašalić – Evaluating the impact of surgery on survival in melanoma brain metastases
15:50-16:10 COFFEE BREAK
16:10-17:30 RAPID-FIRE ORAL POSTER SESSION
CHAIRS: Sergej Mihailovič Marasanov, Nenad Kudelić, Marina Raguž
16:10-16:13 Hrvoje Krpina – Early experience with unilateral biportal endoscopic lumbar herniated disc decompression: impact on length of hospital stay
16:13-16:16 Vjenceslav Vrtarić – First national application of the Medtronic Mazor robotic guidance system for minimally invasive spinal instrumentation in Croatia: initial clinical experience
16:16-16:19 Toni Radić – Effect of prolonged waiting lists on surgical decisionmaking in patients with isolated single-level lumbar disc herniation in elective cases
16:19-16:22 Hrvoje Barić – Should cervical spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas be considered a separate entity from thoracic and lumbar ones? Evidence from a meta-analysis
16:22-16:25 Sergej Mihailovič Marasanov – Craniospinal cerebrospinal fluid volume changes after cranioplasty of an exceptionally large bilateral cranial defect: a case report
16:25-16:35 DISCUSSION – Group 1: Spine, vascular & CSF
16:35-16:38 Domagoj Gajski – Transsphenoidal endoscopic surgery for pituitary gland tumors: institutional experience
16:38-16:41 Klara Brgić Mandić – Clinical outcomes in low-grade glioma patients: a 12-year retrospective study
16:41-16:44 Andrej Desnica – Longitudinal cognitive outcome in synchronous IDH-mutant CNS WHO grade 2 and grade 4 astrocytomas of the dominant hemisphere: evidence of functional reorganization
16:44-16:47 Lana Maljković – Cognitive outcomes and functional recovery following awake craniotomy in a patient with multiple sclerosis and low-grade glioma: a case study
16:47-16:50 Petar Marčinković – From cysts to PTPR: a single-center journey through the spectrum of pineal region tumors
16:50-17:00 DISCUSSION – Group 2: Neurooncology & skull base
17:00-17:03 Miroslav Gjurašin – Neurosurgical treatment of craniosynostosis in children: the importance of early diagnosis and clinical management
17:03-17:06 Ivan Konstantinović – Chronic subdural hematoma due to a ruptured arachnoid cyst in an 11-year-old boy following minor head trauma: case report and literature overview
17:06-17:09 Niko Njirić – Vagus nerve stimulation for pediatric drug-resistant epilepsy: a single-center experience
17:09-17:12 Albert Haller – Anterior thalamic deep brain stimulation for drugresistant epilepsy: the first Croatian experience
17:12-17:25 DISCUSSION – Group 3: Pediatric neurosurgery, epilepsy & neuromodulation
17:25-17:30 CLOSING REMARKS – Acknowledgements and congress closure
08:30-08:40 OPENING OF THE NURSING SYMPOSIUM – Welcome and introduction
10:40-11:00 COFFEE BREAK
12:20-12:50 PANEL DISCUSSION – Practical conclusions and take-home messages
12:50-13:00 CLOSING REMARKS – Acknowledgements and symposium closure
13:00-14:30 CONGRESS LUNCH BREAK