The course was held on October 18 and 19, 2024, at the Didactic Center of the Medical University of Warsaw. The co-hosts of this edition of the event were the Department and Clinic of Internal Diseases and Endocrinology and the Department and Clinic of Ophthalmology, University Clinical Center Medical University of Warsaw. The honorary patronage of the course was provided by the Rector of the University. Over 300 people from all over Europe took part in the course.
What EuGoGO deals with
The European Group on Graves’ Orbitopathy is a multidisciplinary scientific society that brings together the most important European centers dealing with thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO). The TAO Treatment Center operating at the University Clinical Center of the Medical University of Warsaw is one of the first such centers in Central and Eastern Europe. It comprises two clinics: the Department and Clinic of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology and the Department and Clinic of Ophthalmology.
“The complexity of ocular symptoms, the diversity of the clinical course and the risk of exacerbations and relapses mean that both the diagnosis and treatment of orbitopathy should be carried out in experienced reference centers,” said professor Tomasz Bednarczuk, head of the Department and Clinic of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, and added: “A key element of the therapy is close cooperation between endocrinology and ophthalmology specialists, because the inflammatory process of the orbital tissues coexists with thyroid dysfunction.”
As professor Bednarczuk emphasized, the choice of treatment, which includes pharmacotherapy, radiotherapy and ophthalmic surgery, requires individual treatment in an interdisciplinary team, taking into account both benefits and potential complications of each method. Changes in the appearance and vision disorders in people affected by orbitopathy can significantly affect their self-esteem, leading to mental health problems, which is why psychological support becomes an additional element of comprehensive care.
International Training Course
EuGoGO aims its courses at doctors who want to expand their current knowledge and improve practical skills in diagnosing and treating orbitopathy.
“Education of specialists – including endocrinologists, ophthalmologists, and plastic surgeons – in modern methods of diagnosing and treating this disease leads to improvement of effectiveness and helps reduce the risk of serious complications, such as permanent loss of vision,” said habilitated doctor Dariusz Kęcik from the Department of Ophthalmology of the University Clinical Center.
The course consisted of two parts. The first, theoretical, included four lecture sessions. The speakers were the most prominent European specialists in the field of orbitopathy. In the practical part, the students, together with physicians from both clinics of the Medical University of Warsaw and EuGoGO experts, discussed cases of patients with orbitopathy treated at the University Clinical Center. It was not only an opportunity to exchange experiences between experts and students, but also a chance to further develop international cooperation and scientific research.
