Ziho Lee, MD, previews 2025 Northwestern GU robotic reconstruction course

On Saturday, August 2, 2025, Northwestern University is hosting a course titled "Advances in Genitourinary Robotic Reconstruction." In this video, Ziho Lee, MD, the course director and assistant professor and director of Urologic Male Reconstruction and Robotic Reconstructive Surgery at Northwestern University, highlighted several key aspects and advancements attendees can expect. The course prides itself on bringing together leaders in robotic reconstructive and neurologic techniques.

One significant highlight is the focus on the reconstruction of vessel urethral anastomotic stricture disease, a common complication after cancer therapies. The course will feature lectures and discussions on surgical management and "bail-out" procedures for this challenging condition. Another eagerly anticipated area is the reconstruction of uretero enteric stricture disease, increasingly seen after bladder cancer surgery. The course will present a reconstructive ladder and framework to guide treatment for stricture disease of any length.

For experienced robotic surgeons, a key technical tip to be shared is the use of free flap techniques within the lower urinary tract, a method highlighted by course faculty member Lee Zhao, MD, that integrates plastic surgery and urology to advance patient care.

The course also addresses "unicorn cases" in the upper tract—unique and challenging situations lacking established guidelines or literature. The rationale is to provide participants with a framework for thinking through such complex clinical scenarios, featuring discussions of cases presented by both participants and faculty.

The faculty brings diverse training experiences to the discussions on robotic management of reconstructive pathologies. For instance, Jill Buckley, MD, adapted classical open surgical techniques to robotics, whereas Daniel Eun, MD, has formal robotics training from an endo-urology background without initial reconstruction focus. Zhao has flawlessly incorporated single-port techniques, and Lee himself has classical training in standard reconstruction coupled with a separate fellowship in robotics. This diversity underscores that there are multiple pathways to proficiency in robotic reconstructive urology.

A special addition for this year's course is a "day before" advanced, hands-on cadaver lab for four selected surgeons. This 1-on-1 training session, utilizing both single-port and da Vinci 5 robots, will focus on intracorporeal urinary diversions, retroperitoneal ureteral construction, and extraperitoneal bladder neck reconstructive techniques. Lee emphasized this as a unique opportunity to refine skills directly with expert faculty.

You can find more information about the course here