On the 16th and 23rd day of October 2021, the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, Inc. (UERMMMCI) Section of Urology under the Department of Surgery, hosted its 2nd Percutaneous and Endoscopic Renal Surgery Course – PERC 2021 Virtual. The event was held in collaboration with the Philippine Urological Association (PUA), the Philippine Endourological Society (PES) and the Philippine Alliance for Urolithiasis (PAU). This is a biennial post-graduate course that focuses on advancements in urinary stone management.

The 2-day scientific course, held virtually this year, was designed to provide knowledge to urologists with special interest in minimally-invasive and endourologic procedures for renal stone disease. The event focused on the Present and Future of Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery (RIRS) and Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL). In addition, it hosted four world-renowned, international speakers who all showcased various experiences in the field of renal stone management. The event was well-attended with a total of around 1,300 registered participants coming from 89 different countries.

Day 1, entitled “RIRS: The New Paradigm in Renal Stone Management”, highlighted the current advancements in retrograde intrarenal surgery and techniques to improve outcomes after the procedure. Prof. Khurshid Ghani from the University of Michigan in USA and Prof. Olivier Traxer from Sorbonne University in France both presented options for management of large volume stones as well as novel technologies to achieve stone-free status. They also discussed varying complications from doing retrograde intrarenal surgery.

During Day 2, which was entitled “Approaching the Golden Year of PCNL”, the international speakers focused on the current role of percutaneous nephrolithotomy and its future as a primary treatment option for renal stones. Prof. Mahesh Desai from Muljibhai Patel Urological Hospital in India started the day by discussing advances in PCNL, while Prof. Ralph Clayman from UC Irvine Medical Center in USA discussed the benefits of performing both antegrade and retrograde renal access during the procedure.

Definitely, all the lectures delivered by the international faculty provided extensive knowledge in managing renal stones. But the most engaging part of all sessions were during the open fora, wherein all panelists shared their personal experiences with each other, prompted by interesting questions from the moderators and participating audience not just from the Philippines but from other countries as well.

Without a doubt, the technologies as well as techniques in renal stone surgery is a continuous and rapidly evolving field in endourology. Despite the shadow of the pandemic, it is our responsibility as a community of urologists, not just to learn about developments in endoscopic management of stone disease, but also to share with each other our own experiences and outcomes. Courses such as PERC 2021 Virtual definitely serve as a crucial platform for us to be able to connect with each other and maximize learning opportunities to provide the best urologic care for our patients.

For more information on the course and our other future activities, please visit www.learnperc.com.