Asian Stroke Summer School Opens Third Edition in Thiruvananthapuram

The third edition of the Asian Stroke Summer School started in Thiruvananthapuram on November 12 and runs until November 15. The programme focuses on advancing comprehensive stroke care across Asia through structured, team-based education and hands-on skill development.

Organisers and Leadership

The programme is organised jointly by the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram and the University of Bern in Switzerland. The course is led by P.N. Sylaja, Professor and Head of Comprehensive Stroke Care Programme, and E.R. Jayadevan, Professor and Head of Imaging Sciences and Interventional Radiology at the Thiruvananthapuram institute. It is also led by Urs Fischer, Director and Chairman of the Department of Neurology, and Jan Gralla, Head of Neuroradiology at Inselspital University Hospital in Bern.

Training and Sessions

Modelled on the European Stroke Winter School, the programme provides an integrated training platform where neurologists and interventionalists train together as cohesive stroke teams. The teaching course aims to equip neurologists with updated scientific knowledge to improve stroke management within institutions. Sessions cover clinical decision-making, procedural strategies, complication management, and quality of care. A defining feature of the event is structured hands-on training using high-fidelity endovascular simulators and silicone vascular flow models. Neurologists, interventional neuroradiologists, and multidisciplinary stroke teams from across Asia are attending the three-day programme.

Context

Specialised training programmes like this help medical professionals stay updated on advanced techniques and modern equipment used in critical care. Collaborative international health initiatives often bring together institutions from different countries to share medical expertise and improve patient outcomes.