Toetva Hands-On Cadaverlab Workshop

Last Updated on October 3, 2025 by

A Convergence of Surgical Innovators in Istanbul

Reinforcing its position at the forefront of advanced surgical training, Liv Hospital, in a landmark partnership with Istinye University, proudly hosted the TOETVA Applied Cadaver Workshop on August 31, 2024. This elite event brought together leading endocrine surgeons from around the globe for an intensive, hands-on training experience focused on a revolutionary surgical technique.

This workshop was part of a prestigious international series, following previous successful meetings in Izmir (Turkey), Messina (Italy), and Verona (Italy). The Istanbul edition was organized through a powerful collaboration of leading institutions, including the European Association of Endocrine Surgeons (AECD) and the Turkish Society of Endocrine Surgery (TECD) Education Committee, making it a truly global benchmark for excellence in the field.

Mastering the Art of Scarless Thyroid Surgery

The workshop’s exclusive focus was on the Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy Vestibular Approach (TOETVA), a groundbreaking procedure that allows for the removal of the thyroid gland without any visible neck scars. The comprehensive program, skillfully directed by Course Directors Özer Makay and A. Cem Dural, was designed to take surgeons from foundational knowledge to procedural mastery.

The day was structured in two distinct, complementary phases:

• Theoretical Session: Held at the Liv Hospital Vadistanbul Seminar Hall, this morning session covered the full spectrum of TOETVA, including technical advances, tips and tricks, patient selection criteria, oncological indications, and strategies for managing potential complications.
• Hands-On Cadaver Session: The afternoon session moved to the state-of-the-art Cadaver Laboratory at Istinye University’s Faculty of Medicine. Here, participants engaged in an immersive, practical procedural skill lab. With six dedicated working stations, surgeons practiced the core steps of the procedure, from creating vestibular incisions and flap preparation to performing lobectomies and central node dissections under the guidance of expert faculty.

This dual-venue approach ensured that participants not only understood the theory behind TOETVA but also gained the critical hands-on experience necessary to integrate this advanced technique into their own surgical practice. Liv Hospital and Istinye University are proud to have facilitated this exceptional educational event and remain committed to advancing the future of surgery.

Procedural skill lab with 6 working stations

• Instrumentation
• Operating room setup, patient intubation, positioning and surgical field preparition
• Basic steps (from A to Z)
• Vestibular incisions, hidrodissection
• Flap preparation and port placement
• Right lobectomy in craniocaudal fashion
• Left lobectomy in craniocaudal fashion
• Central node dissection in craniocaudal fashion
• How to manage and avoid complications
• Mental nerve identification and dissection
• Specimen retrieval
• Midline And vestibular incision closure
• Discussions

Welcoming Message

Program

Registration

Program

Scientific Board