On August 25th and 26th for the first time in Latvia the Summer School of Gastroenterology with international participation took place. The author of the idea and the initiator of organisation was assistant professor Aleksejs Derovs. All Latvian gastroenterologists, doctors, residents and senior students of the medical faculty interested in gastroenterology were invited to take part in this two-day event that was held in Port Hotel Ādaži.

Assistant professor Aleksejs Derovs made the opening speech and then professor Juris Pokrotnieks presented a lecture about the importance of gastroenterologist profession in the modern society and its future prospects. The audience was also acquainted with clinical cases that clearly demonstrated the challenges that the gastroenterologists face in their daily practice. Assistant professor Aleksejs Derovs shared a clinical case about simultaneous stenting of the esophagus and trachea, and doctor Olesja Basina discussed the differential diagnosis of inflammatory bowel diseases. Then, thanks to professor Indra Zeltina, the participants got acquainted with a rare liver disease – epiteloid hemangiendothelioma, described in the literature only a few times before.

Professor from Vilnius – Jonas Valantinas spoke about the importance of ultrasound usage in gastroenterology, and professor Ludmila Viksna about the tactics in cases when the patient is infected with rare hepatitis viruses. Further, doctor Jelena Derova described in detail the principles of digestive endoscopy, its importance in the diagnosis of pathology, as well as the indications and contraindications of the procedure.

Clinical cases were presented also by the young resident doctors – Olga Sjomina, Maija Latkovska, Julia Cirule-Galuza and Pavels Janovics from their clinical practice. They talked about the possibilities of hepatic resection in metastatic colorectal cancer, the complications of liver cirrhosis and the difficult course of the disease, about intestinal tuberculosis, as well as the ways to cope with profuse vomiting.

On the second day of the summer school, the associate professor Ilze Konrade shared with the participants the so called "dish philosophy", told about the pathogenetic mechanisms behind excessive obesity, and also introduced listeners to the various types of diets suitable for different personality types. Doctor Ieva Pukite spoke about the diseases that occur in the practice of paediatric gastroenterologist; she called for collaboration in continuing the treatment of pediatric patients after they grow older. The series of lectures were finalized by the associate professor Haralds Plaudis, who demonstrated surgeon's capabilities in treatment of gastroenterological pathologies; he paid special attention to the surgical treatment of cholelithiasis and novelties in the surgery of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Valuable discussions occurred not only in the lecture hall, but also in a friendly atmosphere at the dinner table, where the colleagues of the summer school could get to know each other and elaborate useful contacts between Latvian gastroenterologists. After the classes ended the participants shared their positive impressions and feedback of the summer School and made a group photo together.