Greetings
Dear colleagues and friends,
It is our great pleasure to welcome you to the 15. Congress of the European College for the Study of Vulval Disease in Hamburg, Germany – for the first time in the history of our Society!
We are happy to offer you a live congress in the beautiful city of Hamburg and are looking forward to welcoming participants from all over Europe, but also from Australia, Canada and around the world. Among invited guests, we have representatives from the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease and the British Society for the Study of Vulval Disease, as well.
The program follows the traditional set up, including educational plenary lectures, some shorter hot-topic-lectures, a few interesting interactive sessions, as well as presentations of abstracts on the latest scientific works carried out by our current and future members. We also offer pre-congress work-shops on biopsy taking, ablative and non-ablative laser treatment and reconstruction after mutilation and cancer surgery!
The social program includes a visit to the famous Miniatur – Wonderland, a speakers dinner at the beautiful Restaurant “Am Kai” located at the harbor as well as a the congress dinner at “Café Schöne Aussichten”, located in the middle of Hamburg, close to the congress venue. You will have an excellent possibility to mingle with your old friends and make new acquaintances in this beautiful setup.
Now that the congress is getting closer and arrangements begin to be finalized, we really hope for a successful congress with you!
Please do not miss the opportunity to join us!

Prof. Dr. med. Linn Woelber, president ECSVD

Dr. med. Anna Jaeger, secretary ECSVD congress
Location
Philosophenturm Hamburg, Hamburg University, Germany
Phil-Turm, Von-Melle-Park 6
20146 Hamburg, Germany
Thursday, Sept 18th
01.00 – 03.00 pm
Pre-congress hands-on workshop: Biopsy taking, ablative and non-ablative Lasertreatment
Dr. med Christopher Koßagk Berlin (Germany), Dr. Alexander Luyten Kiel (Germany)
(limited availability)
03.00 – 05.00 pm
Pre-congress surgical workshop: Vulvar reconstruction
PD Dr. Dan mon O’Dey, Heidelberg (Germany)
(limited availability)
03.30 – 05.30 pm
Pre-congress surgical workshop: : Biopsy taking, ablative and non-ablative Laser treatment
Christopher Kosagk, Berlin (Germany), Alexander Luyten, Kiel (Germany)
(limited availability)
5.30 pm
Social event
Miniaturwunderland Hamburg
Kehrwieder 2/Block D, 20457, Hamburg, Germany
(limited availability)
7.30 pm
Speakers dinner
am kai | restaurant. seafood. drinks. elbblick
Große Elbstraße 145c, 22767 Hamburg, Germany
Friday, Sept 19th
08.00 – 09.00 am
Registration
08:45 – 09:00 am
Presidential Welcome
Linn Woelber, Hamburg (Germany)
09.00 – 10.00 am
Vulva the basics
Chair: Waltraud Anemüller, Kiel (Germany), Manon van Seters, Worcester (Great Britain)
Vulvar anatomy in different ages –
from childhood to postmenopausal age
Dr. Micheline Moyal-Barracco, Paris (France)
Clinical examination of the vulva
Waltraud Anemüller, Kiel (Germany)
Clinical information relevant for the pathologist, histologic characteristics of vulvar and vestibular tissue
James Scurry, Newcastle (Australia)
Differential diagnoses of benign lesions Quiz
Prof. Dr. Christina Damsted Petersen, Copenhagen (Denmark)
10.00 – 10.30 am
COFFEE BREAK
10.30 – 12.30 am
Common vulval dermatoses
Chair: Prof. Dr. Pia Halonen, Helsinki (Finland) , Dr. med. Gudula Kirtschig, Frauenfeld (Germany)
Lichen sclerosus: clinical characteristics, course of disease and topical treatment
Prof. Dr. Pia Halonen, Helsinki (Finland)
Lichen planus: clinical characteristics, course of disease and topical treatment
Prof. Dr. Fiona Lewis, London (Great Britain)
A pathologist`s view
Prof. Sigrid Regauer, Graz (Austria)
Alternative topical options (Laser/PDT/Plasma)
Prof. Dr. Clemens Tempfer, Herne (Germany)
Future treatment options for dermatoses
with vulvar involvement
Dr. Christine Braegelmann, Bonn (Germany)
Differential diagnoses of vulvar lesions Quiz
Christina Damsted-Petersen, Copenhagen (Denmark)
12.30 – 01.30 pm
LUNCH BREAK
12.30 – 01.00 pm
Lunchsymposium 1
Laser treatment for vulvar disease
General mechanisms, current clinical data, current histopathological data
PD Dr. Anna Jaeger, Hamburg (Germany)
PD Dr. Katharina Herberger, Hamburg (Germany)
01:00 – 01:15 pm
Abstract presentations
The effect of fractional CO2 laser therapy on cancer survivors with genitourinary syndrome of menopause
Charlotte Sachs, Hamburg (Germany)
CO2 laser therapy for genitourinary syndrome of menopause in women with breast cancer
Ahinoam Lev-Sagie, Jerusalem (Israel)
1.30 – 2.30 pm
Vulva pain
Chair: Päivi Tommola, Helsinki (Finland), N.N.
Provoked Vulvodynia – up to date treatment
Prof. Dr. Christina Damsted Petersen, Copenhagen (Denmark)
New therapeutic approaches incl. core outcome set
for future research
Ulrika Heddini, Stockholm (Sweden)
ISSVD address: How can we move forward with vulvar diseases?
Debbie Roepe, Waxhaw (USA)
2.30 – 3.30 pm
Female genitale mutilation (FGM)
Chair: Sophie Berville, Paris (France)
Anatomy of the clitoris, types (in adults and minors), complications and management
Dr. med Jasmine Abdulcadir, Geneva (Switzerland)
MAJORIE RIDLEY SPEECH:
Surgical aspects, reconstruction
PD Dr. Dan mon O’Dey, Heidelberg (Germany)
Mitigating chronic vulvar pain: The potential role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Yara Bishara, Naharija (Israel)
Risk of emergency cesarean section when giving birth in Sweden: A nationwide cohort study
Bita Eshraghi, Stockholm (Sweden)
Clinical, ethical, and legal considerations raised by self-reported genital mutilation
Jasmine Abdulcadir, Geneva (Switzerland)
3.30 – 4.00 pm
COFFEE BREAK
4.00 – 5.00 pm
Vulva and the vaginal microbiome
Chair: Prof. Dr. Hans Verstraelen, Gent (Belgium), Prof. Dr. Pedro Vieira-Baptista, Porto (Portugal)
Normal vaginal microbiome
Prof. Dr. Hans Verstraelen, Gent (Belgium)
Dysbioses of vaginal microbiome
Prof. Dr. Pedro Vieira-Baptista, Porto (Portugal)
Wet Mount Microscopy
Dr. med. Päivi Tommola, Helsinki (Finland)
Prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics
PD Dr. Anna Jaeger, Hamburg (Germany)
5.00 – 6.00 pm
Infectious diseases
Chair: Werner Mendling, Wuppertal (Germany), Sophie Berville, Paris (France)
Candidosis / aerobic colpitis
PhD Svitrigaile Grincevičienė, Lithuania (Slowakia)
Update STDs
Johan Chanal, Paris (France)
Indication and performance of molecular tests for suspected vulvovaginal infections
Prof. Dr. Werner Mendling, Wuppertal (Germany)
7.30 pm
ECSVD night
Café Schöne Aussichten
Gorch-Fock-Wall 4, 20354 Hamburg, Germany
(limited availability)
Saturday, Sept 20th
09.00-11.00 am
pre-invasive diseases
Chair: Dr. Manon van Seters, Worcester (Great Britain), Prof. Dr. Christian Dannecker, Augsburg (Germany)
VIN – subtypes and prognosis
Prof. Dr. Mario Preti, Torino (Italy)
Management/treatment options for VIN
Dr. med. Niccolò Gallio, Torino (Italy)
Prognostic biomarkers in VIN (Methylation)
Dr. Maaike Bleeker, Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Non-invasive physical plasma for the treatment of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia
Karla Feodorovici, Bonn (Germany)
A pre-existing infiltration with t cells and cd14+ myeloid cells is associated with treatment response to imiquimod in primary and recurrent vulvar high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions
Edith van Esch, Eindhoven (Netherlands)
Clinical disease burden in patients with high-grade VIN: a comprehensive analysis
Dominique C. de Vries, Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Prophylaxis of vulvar precancerous conditions, vaccination
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Elmar A. Joura, Vienna (Austria)
Anal lesions – screening, diagnosis and treatment
Andreia Albuquerque, Porto (Portugal)
Paget disease
Prof. Dr. Monika Hampl, Cologne (Germany)
10.30 – 11.15 am
Guided Postersession
Epidemiology and risk factors
Prof. Dr. Christian Dannecker, Augsburg (Germany)
Tumorbiology, recent developments
Niclas Blessin, Kiel (Germany)
Surgery of the primary tumor
Prof. Dr. Sven Mahner, Munich (Germany)
Molecular profiling of the HPV and TP53 independent vulvar squamous cell carcinoma subtype
Simon A. Joosse, Hamburg (Germany)
Ontogenetic cancer field surgery for vulvar carcinoma drastically reduces locoregional relapse and prolongs surviva
Nadja Dornhoefer, Leipzig (Germany)
Impact of tumor size on postoperative outcomes in patients with squamous cell vulvar cancer FIGO stage IB
Mareike Bommert, Essen (Germany)
Sentinel lymph node detection with Magtrace in early-stage vulvar cancer – Sentimag Vulva (Hannover Medical School Pilot study)
Agnieszka Denecke, Hannover (Germany)
1.00 – 3.15 pm
Invasive disease part I
Chair: Prof. Dr. Monika Hampl, Köln (Germany), Prof. Dr. Linn Wölber, Hamburg (Germany)
12.30 – 1.30 pm
LUNCH BREAK
12:45 – 1:15 pm
Lunch Symposium
Treatment of the lymphatics
Dr. Maiike Oonk, Groningen (Netherlands)
Radiooncology incl. management of side effects
Prof. Dr. Cordula Petersen, Hamburg (Germany)
Update Melanoma of the vulva/vagina
N.N.
Systemic therapy gynecologic squamous cell cancers – developments
Prof. Dr. Linn Wölber, Hamburg (Germany)
Prognosis of isolated groin recurrence following sentinel lymph node biopsy in primary node- negative vulvar cancer
Charlotte Sachs, Hamburg (Germany)
Circulating tumor cells in vulvar carcinoma
Leonie Kleinholz, Hamburg (Germany)
PD-L1+ CD49F+ CD133+ circulating tumor cells predict outcome of vulvar and cervical cancer patients after radio-and chemoradiotherapy
Moritz Schäfer, Augsburg (Germany)
Immune landscape of vulvar cancer patients treated with surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy revealed restricted T cell functionality and increased IL-17 expression associated with cancer relapse
Selina Gies, Augsburg (Germany)
Discussion/Relevant abstracts presentation
1.30 – 3.15 pm
Invasive disease part II
Chair: Prof. Dr. Monika Hampl, Köln (Germany), Prof. Dr. Linn Wölber, Hamburg (Germany)
12.30 – 1.30 pm
COFFEE BREAK
3.30 – 4.30 pm
Awards of the best abstracts
ECSVD BUSINESS MEETING AND CLOSING REMARKS
Dr. Manon van Seters, Worcester (Great Britain)
Prof. Dr. Linn Wölber, Hamburg (Germany)
Prof. Dr. Fiona Lewis, London (Great Britain)
Call for abstracts
You can submit your abstract via mail to contact@ecsvd.eu. The best abstracts will be selected for oral presentation within scientific session. The best 5 abstracts will be awarded. Don’t miss the opportunity to present your research at an internationally renowned event!
Abstract submission deadline ends 15th of June 2025
Abstract submitters can participate in the conference for the Early Bird fee.
Important notes on abstracts
Abstract Topics
For review purposes, abstracts are classified according to the following list. Select only 1 topic on our submission form.
- Vulva – the basics
- Vulval dermatoses
- Laser treatment for vulval disease
- Vulva Pain
- Female genital mutilation (FGM)
- Vulva and the vaginal Microbiome
- Infectious disease
- Pre-invasive disease (vulva, vagina, cervix)
- Invasive disease (vulva, vagina, cervix)
Abstract Editing Instructions
- Abstracts must be submitted via mail to contact@ecsvd.eu
- Your abstract should not exceed a total of 3,500 characters all sections included: Background/Objectives, Methods, Results, and Conclusion
- The title should not be written in upper case (capitals), keep it as short as possible clearly indicating the nature of the investigation
- All authors (main author and co-authors) should be listed with their last names (family names) and their first name(s). The published version will only mention the initial(s) of the first name(s).ONE author must be identified as the PRESENTER; the presenter commits to registering as a delegate (except if she/he is an invited speaker), to attend the congress and present the abstract
- Please indicate professional addresses of all authors: Name of hospital, unit or laboratory, city and country in lower case. No other indications are to be given. Different affiliations will be automatically numbered
- Only standard abbreviations may be used without definition. Data must be given in units widely used in literature
- Only essential references should be included and put in brackets at the end of the abstract: Numbers in the text may refer to them
- Drugs must be identified by their generic names and no company names should be mentioned in the title of the abstract
List of Speakers
Dr. med. Jasmine Abdulcadir
Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève
Geneva (Switzerland)
MD PhD Andreia Albuquerque
Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto
Porto (Portugal)
Dr. Mareike Alter
Johannes Wesling Klinikum
Minden (Germany)
Dr. med. Waltraud Anemueller
Klinik für Dermatologie, UKSH- Campus Lübeck
Lübeck (Germany)
Dr. Sophie Berville
Paris (France)
Yara Bishara
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Galilee Medical Center
Naharija, (Israel)
Dr. Maaike Bleeker
Amsterdam UMC, afdeling pathologie/department of pathology
Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Niclas Blessin
Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein
Kiel (Germany)
Dr. Mareike Bommert
KEM | Evang. Kliniken Essen-Mitte
Essen (Germany)
Dr. Christine Braegelmann
Klinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie und Allergologie,
UKB Universitätsklinikum Bonn
Bonn (Germany)
Dr. Johan Chanal
Hopital Cochin, Dermatologie et venereologie
Paris (France)
Prof. Dr. Christina Damsted Petersen
Klinik for kvindesygdomme og seksuel sundhed
Copenhagen (Denmark)
Prof. Dr. Christian Dannecker
Universitätsklinikum Augsburg
Augsburg (Germany)
Dr. Dominique C. de Vries
dep. Pathology, Cancer Center Amsterdam
Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Agnieszka Denecke
Medizinische Hochschule Hannover
Hannover (Germany)
Nadja Dornhoefer
Universitatsklinikum Leipzig Klinik und Poliklinik
für Frauenheilkunde
Leipzig (Germany)
MD PhD Bita Eshraghi
Bitr Overlakare, Gynekologi och Obstetrik
Sodersjukhuset (Sweden)
Karla Feodorovici
Universitatsklinikum Bonn
Bonn (Germany)
Selina Gies
Medizinische Fakultat der Universitat Augsburg
Augsburg (Germany)
Dr. med. Niccolò Gallio
Department of Surgical Sciences
University of Torino
Torino (Italy)
PhD Svitrigaile Grincevičienė
Vilnius University
Vilnius (Lithuania)
Prof. Dr. Pia Halonen
Helsinki University
Central Hospital Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Helsinki (Finland)
Prof. Dr. Monika Hampl
St. Elisabeth-Krankenhaus Köln-Hohenlind
Cologne (Germany)
Dr. Ulrika Heddini
lVO Kvinnosjukvård och förlossning
Stockholm (Sweden)
PD Dr. med. Katharina Herberger
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
Hamburg, Germany
PD Dr. Anna Jaeger
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
Hamburg (Germany)
Simon A. Joosse
Universitatsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
Hamburg (Germany)
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Elmar A. Joura
Medizinische Universität Wien
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
(Division of General Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology)
Wien (Austria)
Leonie Kleinholz
Universitatsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
Hamburg (Germany)
Dr. med. Gudula Kirtschig
Medbase Frauenfeld
Frauenfeld (Switzerland)
Dr. med. Christopher Koßagk
Gynäkologisches Versorgungszentrum Kreuzberg MVZ / Zweigstelle Köpenick
Berlin (Germany)
Ahinoam Lev-Sagie
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Jerusalem (Israel)
Prof. Dr. Fiona Lewis
St John’s Institute of Dermatology
London (Great Britain)
Dr. Alexander Luyten
a&p MVZ GmbH
Kiel (Germany)
Prof. Dr. Sven Mahner
Klinik und Poliklinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe Klinikum Großhadern
Munich (Germany)
Prof. Dr. Werner Mendling
Landesfrauenklinik Helios
Universitätsklinikum Wuppertal
Wuppertal (Germany)
Dr. Micheline Moyal-Barracco
Cabinet médical docteur Moyal-Barracco
Paris (France)
PD Dr. Dan mon O’Dey
SALUTEM Praxisklinik
Heidelberg (Germany)
Dr. Maiike Oonk
Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen
Groningen (Netherlands)
Prof. Dr. Cordula Petersen
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
Hamburg (Germany)
Prof. Dr. Mario Preti
University of Turin Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche
Torino (Italy)
Prof. Sigrid Regauer
Diagnostik- und Wissenschaftsinstitut für Pathologie Medizinische Universität Graz
Graz (Austria)
Debbie Roepe
International Society For the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease
Waxhaw (USA)
Charlotte Sachs
Universitatsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
Hamburg (Germany)
Moritz Schafer
Medizinische Fakultat der Universitat Augsburg
Augsburg (Germany)
James Scurry
The University of Newcastle Australia
Newcastle (Australia)
Prof. Dr. Clemens Tempfer
Universitäts-Frauenklinik der Ruhr-Universität Bochum Marien Hospital Herne
Herne (Germany)
Dr. med. Päivi Tommola
HUS Helsinki University Hospital
Helsinki (Finland)
Dr. Edith van Esch
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Catharina Ziekenhuis Eindhoven
Eindhoven (Netherlands)
Dr. Manon van Seters
Worcestershire Acute Hospital
Worcester (Great Britain)
Prof. Dr. Hans Verstraelen
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Ghent University Hospital 0P4
Gent (Belgium)
Prof. Dr. Pedro Vieira-Baptista
Hospital Lusíadas Porto
Porto (Portugal)
Prof. Dr. Linn Woelber
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
Hamburg (Germany)
President
Linn Woelber
Germany
Past president
Päivi Tommola
Finland
Past past president
Elmar A. Joura
Austria
President elect
Fiona Lewis
UK
Secretary
Manon van Seters
Netherlands/UK
Treasurer
Micheline Moyal-Barracco
France
Treasurer
Sophie Berville
France
Council member
Ulrika Heddini
Sweden
Council member
Hans Verstraelen
Belgium
Council member
Christina Damsted-Petersen
Denmark
Council member
Jasmine Abdulcadir
Switzerland
Council member
Pia Halonen
Finland
Get more information about the ECSVD Membership
Hotel Recommendations
To ensure a comfortable and convenient stay during the congress, we have compiled a list of recommended hotels located near the venue. These accommodations offer a range of options to suit different preferences and budgets. Early booking is highly recommended, as availability may be limited closer to the event date.
Save the date
Join us for the XXVIII World Congress and International Vulvovaginal Disease Update 2026
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Coming in 2026
Stay tuned for more details – we look forward to welcoming you to an inspiring and educational event in beautiful Halifax!