This program was part of the 2026 edition (June 9–11, 2026). Discover the 2027 edition
Pre-congress course: Suturing (30 places)
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Date
June 9–11, 2026
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Duration
3 Intensive Days
ABOUT THE COURSE
Comprehensive training
Laparoscopic suturing marks a transition to advanced minimally invasive surgery. In complex procedures, the ability to place stitches precisely and create reliable intracorporeal knots determines technical quality, operative efficiency and, above all, safety (hemostasis, repairs, defect closure and reconstruction). Consistent evidence shows that structured simulation training, with objective goals, deliberate repetition and feedback, improves technical performance and helps transfer skills to the operating room.
This course offers a practical, up-to-date view of the state of the art in laparoscopic suturing, combining theoretical foundations with intensive hands-on training. The aim is to accelerate the learning curve through reproducible principles and objective assessment, including the Romeo Gladiator Rule, which organizes the step-by-step mastery of stitches and knots (single-handed and two-handed), under the direct supervision of Prof. Armando Romeo and his team.
ACTIVITIES
Coordinator
- Prof. Armando Romeo
Guest faculty
National and International Guests
OBJECTIVES
What you will learn
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Recognize and distinguish safe, unsafe and dangerous knots, and understand their failure mechanisms.
- Select the most suitable knots for different suture types and sizes, according to the purpose (hemostasis, approximation, repair, closure).
- Perform knots with single-handed and two-handed techniques following the principles of the Romeo Gladiator Rule, emphasizing reproducibility and safety
- Load the needle correctly in the needle holder and place stitches with both hands, optimizing control, precision and ergonomics.
- 3 DAYS OF IMMERSION
- 14 FACULTY
IMMERSION
Schedule
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13:00 – 13:15
Welcome, Introduction and Course Overview
Prof. Armando Romeo
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13:15 – 14:30
Basic concepts
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13:15 – 13:30
Romeo Gladiator Rule: a universal and reproducible technique
Dr. Wilmer Bustamante
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13:30 – 13:45
Classification of knots and locking sequences – which is the best knot?
Dr. Guilherme Karam Correa Leite
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13:45 – 14:00
The science of half-hitches: the importance of symmetry and asymmetry
Prof. Armando Romeo
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14:00 – 14:15
Single-handed or two-handed suturing technique?
Dr. Alexandre Cosme do Amaral
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14:15 – 14:30
Influence of suture materials on knot security
Prof. Armando Romeo
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14:40 – 15:00
Questions and answers
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15:00 – 15:15
Coffee break
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15:15 – 16:45
Hands-on lab (all faculty)
- Performing the Romeo Gladiator technique to tie knots with the dominant RIGHT HAND
- And using the LATERAL PORTS (clockwise and counterclockwise movements)
- Performing simple locking sequences around the tube
- Half-knots
- Half-hitches
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16:45 – 18:00
Hands-on lab (all faculty)
- Romeo Gladiator technique to tie knots with the dominant RIGHT HAND and
- Using the left lateral port and the SUPRAPUBIC PORT (movements
- Clockwise and counterclockwise)
- Performing simple locking sequences around the tube
- Half-knots
- Half-hitches
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18:00 – 19:00
Hands-on lab (all faculty)
- Romeo Gladiator technique to tie knots with the LEFT HAND and
- Using the LATERAL PORTS (clockwise and counterclockwise movements)
- Performing simple locking sequences around the tube
- Half-knots
- Half-hitches
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19:00
End of the day
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08:00 – 09:15
Hands-on lab (all faculty)
- Warm-up with locking sequences
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09:15 – 10:30
Hands-on lab (all faculty)
- Romeo Gladiator technique to tie knots with the LEFT HAND in the lateral port
- And the right hand in the SUPRAPUBIC PORT (clockwise and
- Counterclockwise)
- Performing simple locking sequences around the tube
- Half-knots
- Half-hitches
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10:30 – 10:45
Coffee break
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10:45 – 12:15
Hands-on lab (all faculty)
- Romeo Gladiator technique to tie knots with the TWO-HANDED TECHNIQUE
- Using the LATERAL PORTS
- Performing simple locking sequences around the tube
- Half-knots
- Half-hitches
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12:15 – 13:45
Lunch
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13:45 – 15:45
Hands-on lab (all faculty)
- Romeo Gladiator technique to tie knots with the TWO-HANDED TECHNIQUE
- Using the left lateral port and the SUPRAPUBIC PORT
- Performing simple locking sequences around the tube
- Half-knots
- Half-hitches
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15:45 – 16:00
Coffee break
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16:00 – 17:00
Knot competition WITHOUT AWARDS
- Knot testing with a dynamometer
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17:00
End of the day
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19:00
Social dinner
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08:00 – 08:20
The stitch
Dra. Claudia Lima Rocha
- Theory of the Perfect Stitch
- Suturing axes, planes and angles and the ideal parallel geometric combination
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08:20 – 08:40
The needle
Dra. Beatriz Taliberti da Costa Porto
- Needle insertion
- Loading the needle in the needle holder
- Orientation and fine adjustment of the needle direction
- Changing needle orientation and direction
- Reloading the needle
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08:40 – 10:30
Hands-on lab (all faculty)
- Needle-loading maneuvers
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10:30 – 10:45
Coffee break
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10:45 – 12:15
Hands-on lab (all faculty)
- The perfect stitch with the right and left hands
- Training with FORWARD and REVERSE stitches
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12:15 – 13:45
Lunch
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13:45 – 14:45
Hands-on lab (all faculty)
- Training with FORWARD and REVERSE stitches at different
- Angles
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14:45 – 16:00
Hands-on lab (all faculty)
- Training with REVERSE stitches
- Using the suprapubic puncture
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16:00 – 16:15
Coffee break
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16:15 – 17:00
Knot competition WITH A PRIZE FOR THE WINNER
- Award: 1 PROAMED needle holder
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17:00 – 18:00
Questions and answers
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18:00
End of the day