Perioperative Intensive Care focuses on aspects required to set up efficient patient flow management, manage the high-risk surgical patient optimally before, during and after surgery, know the factors harming patients perioperatively, identify barriers and propose interventions, and handle complications and difficult communication situations. 

After registering, ensure you access the dedicated online classroom on the ESICM Academy.

Hear from the experts
  • Joana BERGER-ESTILITA MD Department of Anaesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Bern University Hospital Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
  • Bernardo BOLLEN-PINTO MD, PhD, Director, Department of Acute Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland

Endorsement: The European Perioperative Intensive Care Curriculum is endorsed by the Anaesthesia & Perioperative Care section, ESICM

  • To know the perioperative pathophysiology and the factors harming the patients and impacting the postoperative recovery
  • To understand the place and responsibilities of Anaesthesia and ICU in Perioperative Medicine
  • To review major perioperative complications (cardiac, pulmonary, renal and delirium) and how to handle them
  • To understand the goals of ICU management handling of perioperative patients
  • To review preoperative screening tools
  • To learn how to implement efficiently a perioperative pathway for high risk surgical patients (HRSP)
  • To optimize resources and have an idea for data management for HRSPs
  • To seize the opportunity to learn to use different devices which best fit the needs of your patients
  • To boost your communication skills in difficult situations
  • Perioperative pathophysiology
  • Preoperative screening and patient assessment tools
  • Postoperative complications
  • Enhanced care services and resources
  • Perioperative patient flow management
  • How to avoid postop re-intubation – decision-making and contact with devices
  • Perioperative fluid therapy and other haemodynamic interventions: strengths & limitations, contact with devices
  • Communication and workplace safety in a multi-professional environment
  • Bleeding and coagulation
  • Everybody interested in the holistic perioperative care thinking
  • Junior intensivists
  • Nurses and allied healthcare professionals with a special interest in enhanced care services and perioperative care
  • Senior doctors seeking a refresher training program in the field

IMPORTANT! A total of 10 places will be offered for FREE to participants coming from Low and Lower Middle Income Countries (LMIC), as per the World Bank classification. If you are interested to apply for an LMIC place, send us your letter of interest and CV to education@esicm.org. Applicants from LMIC may be selected for a maximum of 3 ESICM eCourses for FREE every year. Applicants who have participated in 1 eCourse as a free LMIC applicant need to have an active ESICM membership for the current year before applying again. Deadline for LMIC applications: October 16, 2023. 

An application will be made to the UEMS EACCME® for CME accreditation of this event.

Our special thanks

Social media: @ESICM #Perioperative

Highlights of previous edition

2022

The third edition European Perioperative Intensive Care Curriculum Course, this time virtually! 19 international experts and 35 participants from 20 countries engaged and exchanged knowledge throughout this virtual event. Here’s what they liked the most about it:

  • As someone who is starting in ICU and at the same time working with sick patients in theatre, I have learnt many important points to practice in everyday situations.
  • Interactive, discussions, guidance which scores and prediction models can be used to underline and stratify risks
  • The live interaction with the students was amazing and kept everyone involved and the master class was richer because of that.
  • The workshops were very interactive. I liked the fact that we were explicitly asked to keep our cameras on, it helped to develop a certain connection and encouraged discussion.

2021

Despite the uncertain context, we delivered a second edition of the European Perioperative Intensive Care Curriculum Course, this time virtually! A total of 19 experts and 61 participants from 28 countries engaged in interactive activities and case-based discussions.

Here are some of their comments on this innovative educational format:

  • Really enjoyed the exchange of ideas and experiences, with experts and participants from various countries and specialities.
  • These 2 days give food to thoughts about organizing dedicated care, aids to stratify risks and determine the needed level of postoperative intermediate/intensive postoperative care.
  • The online master class made it possible for many of us to participate. It was an amazing experience. The workshop rotations were very nice, made us participate and the exchange of knowledge from different realities was great!

2019

The 1st edition of the European Perioperative Intensive Care Master Class has just wrapped up. A total of 7 experts and 27 participants from 15 countries came together for 2 days at the ESICM Training Centre in Brussels. Here are some of their comments on what they liked best about their experience and their commitment to change back in their clinical practice:

  • An excellent way of delivering a multi-modal, holistic approach to the concept of perioperative medicine and care to the patient
  • I learned to better stratify the risks, the best and quickest perioperative pathways, how to improve my communication with the patients, family and colleagues, implement protocols for different situations and get the whole team together
  • Better perioperative risk stratification, share knowledge with colleagues at home, try and implement better care for our patients
  • Implement frailty score before effective surgery
  • To implement a new fasting regime to change fasting protocol in my hospital
  • Treat post-op delirium with respect
  • Follow up, do patient quality assessments
  • Early mobilisation