MSK embolization, Strasbourg/FR, September 9-10, 2027
Musculoskeletal embolotherapy is rapidly emerging as an innovative interventional radiology treatment for chronic painful musculoskeletal conditions, including knee osteoarthritis, frozen shoulder, and tendinopathy. As evidence continues to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of these procedures, a thorough understanding of vascular anatomy, embolization techniques, and procedural endpoints has become essential for physicians introducing these therapies into clinical practice.
The ESIR course combines expert-led lectures with practical training to provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to perform musculoskeletal embolotherapy safely and effectively. Using case-based discussions, state-of-the-art simulation technology, and a purpose-designed hands-on animal laboratory, participants will gain practical experience while developing their understanding of arterial anatomy, anatomical variants, catheter navigation, and embolization endpoints.
The programme covers the clinical foundations of musculoskeletal embolotherapy, including the pathophysiology, assessment, and imaging of knee osteoarthritis and frozen shoulder. Faculty will present real-world cases on genicular artery embolization (GAE) and shoulder embolization, highlighting patient selection, procedural planning, device selection—including catheters, microwires, embolic agents, and cone-beam CT—and practical tips to optimise outcomes.
The course also explores the implementation of musculoskeletal embolotherapy in clinical practice, addressing service development, data collection, outcome assessment, and patient follow-up. Contributions from orthopaedic surgeons will provide valuable insight into multidisciplinary patient management and the role of embolotherapy within the broader treatment pathway for chronic musculoskeletal disease.
By the end of the course, participants will have the theoretical knowledge and practical experience to confidently integrate musculoskeletal embolotherapy into their clinical practice.
Who should attend?
This course is designed for interventional radiologists who have completed their radiology training and are interested in fine-tuning their practical skills and learning more about the current treatment options for routine as well as technically challenging cases.
Programme
Thursday, September 9
08:30-09:00 Registration
09:00-09:05 Opening
09:15-09:40 Knee OA
What the IR needs to know: Osteoarthritis epidemiology and clinical presentation
Patient presentation (clinical skills, patient examination tips for the clinic)
Imaging of knee OA
Q&A
09:40-10:30 GAE anatomy and cases
What the IR needs to know: GAE anatomy
GAE cases-technique and endpoints
GAE cases-technique and endpoints
Panel discussion
10:30-10:50 Coffee break
10:50-11:55 Frozen shoulder
What the IR needs to know: Frozen shoulder epidemiology and clinical presentation
Frozen shoulder clinical examination: Examination of patient on stage
Imaging in shoulder disease
Frozen shoulder anatomy
Frozen shoulder cases
Panel discussion
11:55-12:50 Lunch
12:50-13:20 MSK embolization technologies
Embolic choice in MSK embolotherapy and what’s in the pipeline
Access and catheter/microcatheter selection
CBCT/angio CT: can they add value?
13:20-14:40 Hands-on workshops
Group 1 – Simulator training
Group 2 – Interactive cases
14:40-15:00 Coffee break
15:00-16:20 Hands-on workshops – continued
Group 2 – Simulator training
Group 1 – Interactive cases
16:20-17:25 Sports medicine embolization
Tendinopathy and enthesopathy epidemiology, presentation, and clinical evaluation
Case: Embolotherapy on upper limb tendinopathy, enthesopathy, and arthritis
Cases: Embolotherapy on lower limb tendinopathy, enthesopathy, and arthritis
Roundtable discussion
Friday, September 10
08:30-09:00 Animal lab training preparation
09:00-10:00 Animal lab procedure training I
10:00-11:00 Animal lab procedure training II
11:00-11:20 Coffee break
11:20-12:20 Animal lab procedure training III
12:20-12:50 Course wrap-up and quiz
Course chairperson

Faculty
Yuji Okuno (Tokyo/JP)
Florian Fleckenstein (Berlin/DE)
Florian Wolf (Vienna/AT)
Ahmad Al-Rekabi (Reading/GB)
Amar Malhas (Reading/GB)
Ana Fernandez-Martinez (Léon/ES)
Ali Guermazi (Boston/US)
Venue
IHU – Institute of Image-Guided Surgery
1 place de l’Hôpital
Strasbourg 67091
France
Registration
Please note that this course is open only to interventional radiologists who have completed their radiology training.
The registration fees are as follows:
| Early Fee (until July 15, 2027) | Regular Fee (as of July 16, 2027) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Course registration | €1070 | €1180 |
| Course registration (CIRSE Member)* | €840 | €950 |
To attend the ESIR courses as a member, CIRSE membership fee for the year of the course must be settled.
These fees include:
- Course attendance
- Teaching material for the course
- Coffee breaks
- Lunch on the first day
General information
- Please note that this course is limited to 21 participants and registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Please note that your registration becomes valid only after receipt of payment and after confirmation by the CIRSE Central Office.
- When making your flight bookings, please make sure that you will be able to stay for the entire course.
Invoices will be issued by the CIRSE Foundation, Neutorgasse 9, 1010 Vienna, Austria.
CIRSE Foundation
Neutorgasse 9
1010 Vienna
Austria
Phone: 0043 1 904 2003
Fax: 0043 1 904 2003 30
Email: [email protected]
Cancellation of course registration
The CIRSE Foundation offers all participants the possibility of purchasing insurance with our partner, “Europäische Reiseversicherung”. Thus, the CIRSE Foundation itself will not refund any amount after a cancellation of registration. All requests have to be issued to the “Europäische Reiseversicherung” directly. Refunds will be given within the terms and conditions of the “Europäische Reiseversicherung”. Name changes will be handled as a cancellation and new registration.
Please note that CIRSE offers just a platform to effect a policy between you and “Europäische Reiseversicherung”.
Accommodation
Please note that the following are only suggestions. Accommodation is not included in the registration fee of ESIR courses. CIRSE supports compliance with ethical standards. Therefore, CIRSE emphasizes that the participants shall bear any and all costs in this context themselves.
Hôtel du Dragon
3*, 7 min. walk from the venue
12, rue du Dragon
Phone: +33 3 88 35 79 80
E-mail: [email protected]
https://www.dragon.fr/en/
**Please double check that you have selected the Strasbourg hotel before booking – a hotel with the same name and street name exists in Paris.
Hôtel Au Cerf d’Or
3*, 8 min. walk from the venue
6 Place de l’Hôpital
Phone: +33 3 88 36 20 05
E-mail: [email protected]
https://www.cerf-dor-strasbourg.fr/
Holiday Inn Express
3*, 15 min. walk from the venue
Rue de la Corderie
Phone: +33 3 88 10 99 99
E-mail: [email protected]
https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/strasbourg/sxbex/hoteldetail
Les Haras
4*, 6 min. walk from the venue
23 Rue des Glacières
Phone: +33 3 90 20 50 00
E-mail: [email protected]
https://les-haras.fr/?lng=en
Cour du Corbeau
4*, 12 min. walk from the venue
7 Rue des Couples
Phone: +33 3 90 00 26 26
E-mail: [email protected]
https://www.cour-corbeau.com/en/
Régent Petite France
4*, 12 min. walk from the venue
5 rue des Moulins
Phone: +33 3 88 76 43 43
E-mail: [email protected]
https://www.regent-petite-france.com/?lang=en