From May 28 to 30, 2025, Professor Haruhiro Inoue was invited as a faculty member to Endolive Roma 2025, held in Rome, Italy. This prestigious international academic event is one of the largest live endoscopy demonstration courses in Europe, organized by the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS.

This year’s course brought together approximately 600 physicians, 50 international faculty members, and over 40 live cases, in addition to 136 industry representatives from 32 partner companies, making it a significant platform for sharing cutting-edge clinical techniques, research insights, and medical device innovation.

The first two days of the program were held at the Catholic University’s Rome campus, where an intensive session focusing on gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was conducted. This session covered a wide spectrum from diagnosis to endoscopic and surgical treatment strategies. Professor Inoue delivered a lecture titled “Endoscopic therapies with mucosal ablation”, introducing Anti-Reflux Mucosal Intervention (ARMI), a novel approach developed at our center. He also performed three live demonstrations, showcasing POEM, ARMP, and gastric ESD, which drew significant attention from international participants for their technical precision and innovation in minimally invasive endoscopy.

On the final day, live sessions were conducted at the Isola Tiberina Hospital – Gemelli Isola, located in the heart of Rome’s historic center. This beautifully restored hospital is housed in a former monastery, preserving ancient Roman ruins and original frescoes, offering a uniquely “Roman” medical environment. Professor Inoue also had the opportunity to tour the facility with course founder Professor Guido Costamagna, gaining valuable insight into the integration of history and modern medicine.

Additionally, Professor Hironori Yamamoto of Jichi Medical University also participated as a faculty member, performing full circumferential ESD for Barrett’s esophagus carcinoma, ESD for complex lesions of the ileocecal valve, and endoscopic resection of small bowel polyps in Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS). These are all technically demanding procedures, and his demonstrations attracted strong interest from attendees.

During brief moments of free time, the faculty also enjoyed visiting some of Rome’s iconic landmarks such as the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain, making this not only an academic but also a culturally enriching experience.

Moving forward, our center remains committed to advancing high-quality care and contributing globally through international academic exchange and the continued dissemination of cutting-edge endoscopic innovation.

(Mayo Tanabe, Digestive Diseases Center)