Final program: 10th International Tampere Plastic Surgery Flap Dissection Course

”The versatility of the work-horses – hands on cadaver dissection course”

Course includes both lectures by experienced specialists and dissection with fresh cadavers in an operating room setting.

Date

November 11th – 13th, 2026

Faculty

Associate professor Ilkka Kaartinen, Course director, Tampere University Hospital

Ian Barner-Rasmussen, Helsinki University Central Hospital

Adrien Daigeler, BG Klinik Tubingen, Germany

Christian Glaumann, Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden

Yves Harder, University Hospital Lausanne (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland

Katriina Joensuu, Tampere University Hospital

Verna Karen, Tampere University Hospital

Juha Kiiski, Course secretary, Tampere University Hospital

Hannu Kuokkanen, prof. emeritus

Marika Kuuskeri, Tampere University Hospital

Eero Lääperi, Tampere University Hospital

Johanna Palve, Tampere University Hospital

Anni Salminen, Tampere University Hospital

Venue

Lectures: FM5 Epsilon Building, Big meeting room, 1st floor. Address: Biokatu 12, 33520 Tampere, Finland

Hands-on training: Tampere Surgical Education Centre (TSEC), O Building, 2nd floor. Address: Arkkiatrinkuja 6, 33520 Tampere, Finland

Program

Wednesday 11.11.2026

08:00-08:15 Registration and coffee

08:15-08:20 Opening words and course overview (Kaartinen)

08:20-09:50 Anesthesia and planning

08:20-08:40 Anesthesia for free flap surgery (Anesthesiologist Sanna-Reetta Vlasa)
08:40-09:00 Perforator and recipient vessel mapping and perioperative imaging (Lääperi)
09:00-09:25 Principles of free flap dissection (Glaumann)
09:25-09:50 Complications: How to avoid and how to solve them? (Kaartinen)

09:50-10:15 Coffee and exhibition

10:15-11:05 Head&Neck

10:15-10:40 Maxilla and mandible reconstruction (Kuuskeri)
10:40-11:05 Facial reconstruction from local to free flaps (Barner-Rasmussen)

11:05-11:30 Trunk

11:05-11:30 Abdominal and thoracic wall reconstruction (Palve)

11:30-12:30 Lunch at Ellipsi Restaurant and exhibition

12:30-13:20 Breast

12:30-12:40 Microvascular breast reconstruction with DIEP flap (Kaartinen)
12:40-13:10 Surgery for lymphedema (Harder)
13:10-13:20 Extraglandular perforator flaps for partial breast reconstruction (Joensuu)

13:20-13:45 Extremities / orthoplastic surgery

13:20-13:45 Reconstruction of the knee and proximal tibia (Salminen)

13:45-14:15 Coffee and exhibition

14:15-15:35 Extremities / orthoplastic surgery (continues)

14:15-14:40 Reconstruction of the ankle and foot (Kiiski)
14:40-15:05 Local and pedicled flaps for the defects of the forearm and hand (Prof. of Hand Surgery Jarkko Jokihaara)
15:05-15:35 Functional reconstruction of the extremities (Daigeler)

15:35-15:50 Flap Monitoring

15:35-15:50 Free Flap monitoring (Karen)

15:50-16:00 Discussion

18:00- Get Together (for both tracks), Brewery Restaurant Plevna, Itäinenkatu 8

Thursday 12.11.2026

08:00-12:00 Cadaveric dissections at TSEC / Session 1

Hands-on track participants will be dissecting Latissimus dorsi, TDAP, LICAP, scapular/parascapular, serrate fascia/muscle, trapezius muscle, SGAP and LAP flaps.

12:00-13:00 Lunch and exhibition

13:00-16:00 Cadaveric dissections at TSEC / Session 2

Hands-on track participants will be dissecting Supraclavicular, DIEP / ms-TRAM, SIAE, lymph node transfer with groin / SIEA / SCIP flap. Also, the participants will get to practice the exposure of internal mammary vessels for microvascular anastomosis with/without cartilage removal.

Refreshments and exhibition are available at TSEC coffee area during sessions.

19:00- Course Dinner (for Hands-on track only), Bistro Henriks, Satamakatu 7

Friday 13.11.2026

08:00-12:00 Cadaveric dissections at TSEC / Session 3

Hands-on track participants will be dissecting ALT, TFL, Vastus lateralis, gracilis muscle / TMG flaps. The participants also get to practice Medial Condyle/trochlea flap, rectus femoris and Sartorius flaps.

12:00-13:00 Lunch and exhibition

13:00-15:30 Cadaveric dissection at TSEC / Session 4

Hands-on track participants will be dissecting fibula flaps with/without muscle and skin. Also, the participants will get to practice the most common exposures of the lower extremity for microvascular anastomosis and dissecting propeller flaps.

15:30-16:00 Farewell and closing remarks

Refreshments and exhibition are available at TSEC coffee area during sessions.