Thiruvananthapuram: The third edition of Asian Stroke Summer School 2026, dedicated to advancing comprehensive stroke care across Asia through structured, team-based education and focused hands-on skill development, will be held in the state capital from November 12 to 15.
The programme is organised jointly by Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram and the University of Bern, Switzerland. Modelled on the successful European Stroke Winter School, the Asian Stroke Summer School provides an integrated training platform where neurologists and interventionalists train together as cohesive stroke teams.
The programme aims to equip participants not only with updated scientific knowledge but also with practical frameworks to strengthen stroke services within their institutions. The curriculum is designed to deliver rigorous, evidence-based education in stroke management and advanced imaging for patient selection, with particular emphasis on mechanical thrombectomy.
Faculty-led sessions at the event will focus on clinical decision-making, procedural strategies, complication management, periprocedural management considerations, and quality metrics essential to comprehensive stroke centres. Case-based discussions and interactive tutorials will further explore workflow optimisation and the development of organised stroke systems of care, including the establishment of effective regional networks suited to diverse healthcare settings across Asia.
A defining feature of the Summer School is its structured hands-on training in stroke intervention. Participants will engage in supervised workshops using high-fidelity endovascular simulators and silicone vascular flow models, enabling focused practice in thrombectomy techniques, device handling, and troubleshooting in realistic procedural scenarios. These sessions are designed to enhance technical competence, team coordination, and procedural confidence under expert guidance.
The course also emphasises sustainable programme development, addressing strategies for overcoming infrastructural challenges, implementing standardised protocols, and fostering multidisciplinary collaboration to establish and expand comprehensive stroke care services in the region.
Neurologists, interventional neuroradiologists, and multidisciplinary stroke teams from across Asia will attend the three-day programme.