Scientific Committee
Fatos Olldashi
Congress President
Dr. Fatos Olldashi is currently Head of the Neurosurgery Clinic at the University Trauma Hospital, lecturer in neurosurgery at the Medical University of Tirana, consulting neurosurgeon at the American Hospital of Tirana. He graduated in 1992 from the Faculty of Medicine of Tirana. He completed his specialization during the period 1994-2000 at the Department of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital Center “Mother Teresa”. In addition, he has completed specializations abroad, such as at the University of Maastricht, the Netherlands, at the University Hospital Aarhus, Denmark, then at the University Hospital Rotterdam in Groningen, the Netherlands, at the University Hospital Iowa, USA, and all for Neurosurgery. In 2002 he completed the Master in Neurosurgery and in 2010 the doctorate also in Neurosurgery. He is the secretary of the Albanian Neurosurgery Association, a member of the World Neurosurgery Association, a member of the executive committee of the European Neurosurgery Association and the Southeast European Neurosurgery Association, and a member of the American Neurosurgery Association.
Yahya Guvenc
Congress Co-President
Yahya Güvenç was born in Hatay, Türkiye. He began medical faculty at Karadeniz Technical University's at 1999 in Turkiye. He completed his Neurosurgery specialization at Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital between 2006 and 2011in Ankara,Türkiye. He worked as a specialist at Ankara Sincan Training and Research Hospital and Yıldırım Beyazıt University's Yenimahalle Training and Research Hospital in Ankara from 2011 to 2015. He has been a specialist in the Department of Neurosurgery at Marmara University's Faculty of Medicine in Istanbul, Turkiye since March 2016. He received the titles of Assistant Professor in 2018, Associate Professor in 2019, and Professor in 2025 at Marmara University's Faculty of Medicine. He completed his PhD in Microneurosurgery at Marmara University in May 2024, earning the title of Doctor of Science (PhD). He continues his studies at Marmara University. Prof. Dr. Yahya Güvenç is dedicated to advancing spinal surgery in the Department of Neurosurgery at Marmara University Faculty of Medicine in Istanbul. His scientific research earned him the Young Neurosurgery Travel Award from the World Neurosurgical Society (WFNS) in South Korea in 2013 and from the German Neurosurgical Society (DGNC) in Germany in 2014. His annual report presentations won first place at symposia organized by the Spine and Peripheral Nerve Surgery Group of the Turkish Neurosurgery Association in 2015 and 2023. His annual report received third place at the National Neurosurgery Congress organized by the Turkish Neurosurgery Association in 2024. He has published 47 articles (41 international, including science, science-experience, and e-science; 6 national), 18 book chapters (11 Turkish, on spine and spinal cord diseases; 7 international, on spine and stem cells), and 111 abstracts presented at international and national conferences. He participates as an invited speaker at international meetings held in many countries in Asia, Europe, America, North Africa, and the Middle East. He currently serves as the director of the "Istanbul Cadaver Course," which has been held 5 times between 2022 and 2026. Over 200 surgeons from approximately 25 countries have participated in the courses using computational techniques over the last 5 years. He was on the organizing committee of the Iraq-Turkey Spine Conference held in Baghdad, Iraq, in June 2023. He co-chaired the Middle East Spine Society Basic Spine Course held in Istanbul, Türkiye, on April 27-28, 2024. He served on the organizing committee of the international meeting held by the MESS association in Tunisia in 2024. He co-chaired the "Istanbul Spine Masters" course, an international course held annually in Istanbul, from 2025 to 2026, and continues to do so this year. He was co-chair the Dr. Mehmet Zileli course, an international course held in Azerbaijan in 2025. He is co-chairing the international Spine meeting of the ISS association, to be held in Kazakhstan in May 2026 and in Albania in December 2026. He is also co-chairing the 2026 annual meeting of the Asia Pacific Cervical Spine Association, an international organization, which is being held in Istanbul. He served on the organizing committee for the monthly webinars titled "Updating Spine Surgery" Between 2023 and 2025. Many academics and speakers in the field of spine surgery from around the world participated in these webinars. As of January 2026, the 18th webinar had been held. He is the founder of Medtechnova Biomedical Ltd. at the Istanbul Technopark Campus. He provides care in the field of neurotechnology and, together with a team of expert engineers, has ongoing options for spinal tumor treatment (RF therapy) and spinal trauma treatment at Istanbul Technopark. His projects have been awarded funding by national TUBİTAK 1501 and KOSGEB. Yahya Güvenç is a member of the International Spine Society (ISS) and will serve as its President for the 2025-2026 term. He is a member of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies-Spine Committee (WFNS) for 2026-2027. He is the General Secretary of the Middle East Spine Society (MESS). He is a member of the executive board of the Asia Pacific Cervical Spine Association. He is also a member of the Turkish Neurosurgery Association, Eurospine, AOSpine and the Turkish Spine Association.
Mehmet Zileli
Honorary President
Dr. Mehmet Zileli is a Professor of Neurosurgery and internationally recognised leader in spine surgery. Born in 1956, he graduated from Ege Medical School in 1980 and completed his neurosurgery residency at Ege University in 1986, where he later became Associate Professor (1989) and Professor of Neurosurgery (1996). He served at Ege University, Izmir, until his retirement in 2023 and now continues his clinical work in private practice. His international training includes a research fellowship in Erlangen, Germany, supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and short term fellowships in New Mexico and Phoenix, USA. Over the course of his career, he has held numerous global leadership roles, including Honorary Chair of the WFNS Spine Committee, Honorary President of the Middle East Spine Society, Chairperson of the International Academy of Spine, and Spine Section Editor for World Neurosurgery. He is the founding chairman of the Spine Section of Turkish Neurosurgical Society, chairman of the Turkish Neurosurgical Society, chairman of World Spinal Column Society, chairman of the WFNS Spine Committee, chairman of the WFNS Education & Training Committee. He currently serves as Guest Professor at Saarland University, Germany. Dr. Zileli has made major contributions to spine surgery education worldwide. Since 1997, he has chaired the “Dr. Mehmet Zileli Advanced Spine Surgery Course,” now in its 24th edition, and has organised cadaver courses and hands on workshops across multiple countries. He has provided fellowship training to more than 110 spine surgeons, many of whom now hold senior academic and clinical positions. A prolific academic, Dr. Zileli is the author or co author of 235 scientific articles, editor of 12 books, and contributor to more than 100 book chapters. His work has been cited over 4,600 times, with an H index of 37. He is an active member of 34 national and international societies and serves on the editorial boards of 35 scientific journals. His career reflects a sustained commitment to advancing spine surgery through clinical excellence, research, and global education.
Nikolay Peev
Prof. Nikolay Peev is a highly respected Spine Neurosurgeon with extensive expertise in the surgical treatment of complex spinal disorders. With a career dedicated to advancing spinal neurosurgery, he has developed particular interests in degenerative spinal diseases, spinal deformity, minimally invasive spine surgery, and spinal trauma. Prof. Peev is recognized for his commitment to clinical excellence, innovative surgical techniques, and patient-centered care. In addition to his clinical practice, he has contributed significantly to academic neurosurgery through research, education, and the training of future spine specialists, earning recognition both nationally and internationally within the spine surgery community.
Francesco Costa
Prof. Francesco Costa is a leading spinal neurosurgeon at the IRCCS Carlo Besta Neurological Institute in Milan, where he serves as Head of Spinal Neurosurgery. He is an adjunct professor of Neurosurgery (spinal surgery) at the University of Milan. Over his career he has performed over 6000 spinal surgeries as first operator, treating a wide range of degenerative, traumatic and oncologic spinal conditions. His technical expertise spans minimally invasive surgery, spinal biomechanics, intraoperative imaging and complex oncological spinal reconstruction. In the latest years the main surgical activity is focus in spine tumors (intradural lesions as well bone tumors). He is also deeply involved in research and education—authoring more than 100 international scientific articles and more than 15 book chapters, supervising training of neurosurgery residents, and active in multiple international societies such as EuroSpine, NASS, AO-Spine and WFNS. Actually is the Chair of Spine Committee of SINCh and Chair of Training and Education Committee of WFNS - Europe zone.
Russell J Andrews
Dr. Russell J Andrews’ training included a doctorate in Human Development (Harvard), medical school (Dartmouth), neurosurgery residency (Stanford), and 6 months at the National Hospital, Queen Square, London. His experience has included two years as a US Army Flight Surgeon, 15 years on the neurosurgery faculty of several university medical centers (including UC Davis and Stanford), and a similar period in private practice neurosurgery in Silicon Valley. He has been medical advisor for 25 years at NASA Ames Research Center with the Nanotechnology and Smart Systems groups. For the past two years, he has been a guest lecturer for Stanford’s Mechanical Engineering course ME 268 (Robotics, AI and Design of Future Education). Appointments include: Past Chair, International Outreach Committee, American Association of Neurological Surgeons; Newsletter Editor, World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS); Section and Feature Editor, World Neurosurgery; board member of several medical societies; President, International Conference on Neuroprotective Agents (ICNA); and member, WFNS Neurotrauma, Mass Casualty, and Neurorehabilitation Committees. He is author/co-author of over 90 research articles, over 60 book chapters, and over 300 presentations at major scientific conferences worldwide (many as an invited speaker). He has published two books: (1) Editor: Intraoperative Neuroprotection. Williams & Wilkins, 1996; (2) Author: Too Big to Succeed: Profiteering in American Medicine. iUniverse, 2013. Together with colleagues from NASA, he holds medical device patents.
Ender Ofluoglu
Prof. Dr. Ender Ofluoğlu, a prestigous Turkish neurosurgeon specializing in neurosurgery as well as spine surgery, was born in 1971 in Rize, and later pursued his medical education at Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Medicine in Samsun, graduating in 1994. Following initial roles as a physician in the Infectious Diseases Branch Directorate of Artvin Provincial Health Directorate (1994–1996) and as a responsible physician at Merkez Taflan Health Center in Samsun (1996–1999), he completed his neurosurgery residency at Bakırköy Prof. Dr. Mazhar Osman Mental Health and Neurological Diseases Training and Research Hospital's III. Neurosurgery Clinic in Istanbul from 1999 to 2004, where he also served as an resident physician; his expertise thesis, "Rat Spine Implant-Associated Infection Model," was supervised by Prof. Dr. Mehmet Zileli at Ege University. Ofluoğlu advanced his career as a specialist physician at Artvin State Hospital (2004) and subsequently at Bakırköy's III. Neurosurgery Clinic (2004–2014), while concurrently providing part-time services at Medical Park Bahçelievler Hospital from 2009 onward, before ascending to the position of Associate Professor in Neurosurgery at the same institution in 2014. He now treats his patients at his private clinic. An active contributor to the field, he is a member of the Turkish Neurosurgery Association, the Neurosurgery Society—where he has served as a Board Member since 2015 and as the 2015 Congress President—the Turkish Spine Association (Board Member, 2015–2017), and the TND Spinal and Peripheral Nerve Surgery Group; fluent in English, he is married with one daughter.
Onur Yaman
Prof. Dr. Onur Yaman is a Turkish neurosurgeon and spine-surgery specialist, born in Germany in 1976. He completed high school in İzmir and graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at Ege University in 2001. He subsequently completed his neurosurgical training at Celal Bayar University (2003–2009), and rose through the academic ranks — becoming Associate Professor in 2015 and Professor in 2021. Over his career, Prof. Yaman has worked at a number of major Turkish medical centers — including hospitals in Muş, Rize, and Tepecik, the Ankara Spine Center, Koç University Hospital, and the Spine Center of Memorial Hospitals Group. Since August 2024, he has been practicing at NP İstanbul Brain Hospital and running his own clinic. His clinical expertise covers a broad range of spinal and neurological conditions — including scoliosis, spinal and disc herniation, spinal deformities, tumors, fractures, spinal cord anomalies, and degenerative spine disease. He is also an accomplished researcher and academic: authoring numerous peer-reviewed national and international articles, contributing chapters to books, presenting at conferences, and holding a patent for a spinal laminoplasty plate. Moreover, he is actively involved in many professional societies —Middle East Spine Society (which he has served as president), AO Spine, Eurospine, and other national neurosurgical and spine associations. He stands out as a leading figure in Turkish neurosurgery and spine surgery — combining extensive clinical practice, academic scholarship, surgical innovation, and leadership within the spine-surgery community.
R. Kemal Koc
Prof. Dr. Rahmi Kemal Koç is a distinguished Turkish neurosurgeon specializing in spinal and peripheral nerve surgery. After graduating from Çukurova University School of Medicine in 1982 and completing neurosurgical training at Erciyes University in 1992, he advanced to full professorship in 2005 and served as Chair of Neurosurgery. He has completed clinical fellowships in Germany and the United States, authored over 100 scientific publications, contributed extensively to national and international spine societies, and pioneered several spinal surgical techniques in Türkiye. In recognition of his contributions, he received the Turkish Neurosurgical Society’s Distinguished Service Award in 2017.
Kenan Arnautovic
Dr. Kenan Arnautovic graduated from the School of Medicine, University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina as the top student in his class earning Award- Chancellor of the University Badge “Hasan Brkic”. He obtained a Master Degree in Neurosurgery in his Alma Mater (University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina) and defended his PhD thesis at J.J. Strossmaier University, Osijek, Croatia (EU). He did his first neurosurgery residency at the Department of Neurosurgery, University Clinical Center, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and a second residency in neurosurgery at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. He also completed a skull-base fellowship in Little Rock, AR. His direct neurosurgical mentors include Professors Ossama Al-Mefty, Gazi Yasargil, Evandro de Oliveira, Ali Krisht, Rick Boop and Glen Pait. Dr. Arnautovic is double-boarded in neurosurgery, in Europe (Diplomat of the Neurosurgery Board of Bosnia and Herzegovina) and in the USA (Diplomat of the American Board of Neurosurgery – Board Certified). He holds active neurosurgical licenses in the United States (Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama), Croatia (EU), and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Mentor Petrela
Mentor Petrela, MD, Ph.D., Chev LH, PU-PH Fr, doctor, neurosurgeon, professor, and corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo, was born in Tirana, on September 1, 1950. He completed his higher studies at the Faculty of UT Medicine (1973). He specialized in neurology (1973) and worked at Burrel Hospital (1975-1976). During the years 1977-1978, he specialized in neurosurgery at FMT and Paris (1979). He continued working as a neurosurgeon in the Neurosurgery Service at QSUT. In the years 1993-1997 he was the director of QSUT “Mother Teresa”, dean of FM (2000-2003) and head of the Department of Neurology-Neurosurgery (1990-1997). Meanwhile, from 1996, he was in charge of the Neurology Service. Mentor Petrela MD, Ph.D., Chev LH, PU-PH Fr, since 1992 is an honorary member of the French Society of Neurology. In 1996 he received the award “Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques” (“Knight of the Order of the Academic Palm”) from the Prime Minister of France Alain Juppé. Through the National Competition for the Universities of France in 1997 in Paris, he was elected Professor of Neurosurgery. Since 1998, he has been a member of the World Federation of Neurological Surgery and the European Association of Neurological Societies. He is an active member of the World Academy of Neurological Surgery (World Academy of Neurological Surgery) based in Vienna, where he has also held lectures. By this Academy, he was selected as one of the 100 best neurosurgeons in the world. As an invited professor (professeur invité), he has given lectures at the Universities of Paris, Milan, New York, Geneva, etc. In 2014, the President of France, François Hollande, awarded him the most prestigious decoration in France “Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur” (“Knight of the Legion of Honor”). Professor Petrela has published many studies in prestigious European and world journals in the field of neurosurgery. In 2017, he was chosen in the group of 100 academics, named “Augustans in the service of Neurosurgery”. He is also a member of many European and world professional-scientific institutions and associations.
Artur Xhumari
Prof. Dr. Artur Xhumari, born on June 6, 1974, in Tirana, is a distinguished Albanian neurosurgeon with over two decades of expertise in neurosurgery, radiosurgery, and academic medicine. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Tirana, in 1998 as a Medical Doctor and completed his neurosurgery specialization at the same institution in 2003. Prof. Xhumari holds extensive international training, including AFS and AFSA qualifications in Neurosurgery from the Faculty of Medicine, Paris 5, France, a University Diploma in Microsurgery from Paris VII – Denis Diderot University, and a Master’s degree in Pediatric Neurology from Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy. In 2010, he earned his PhD in Medical Sciences in Neurosurgery, followed by the title of Associate Professor in 2016, and Full Professor in March 2023. Professionally, since 1999 he has served as a neurosurgeon at the “Mother Teresa” University Hospital Center in Tirana, where, since 2016, he has led the X-Knife Unit for radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy. In July 2022, he was appointed Head of the Neurosurgery Service. Alongside his clinical work, Prof. Xhumari has had a long academic career at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine, Tirana, where he has been a full-time lecturer in the Department of Neurosciences since 2013. Prof. Dr. Artur Xhumari is fluent in Albanian, French, and English, and has good proficiency in Italian.
Ilir Hasani
Prof. Dr. Ilir Hasani, the Vice-President of KCS for North Macedonia, is a surgeon and former Deputy Minister of Health of North Macedonia. From 2009 to 2010, he held the position of director of the Clinic for Orthopedic Diseases at the Clinical Center-Skopje. In 2009, he was elected national representative of the NATO Forces Medical Association Committee. In June 2010, he was appointed Deputy Coordinator of Surgical Clinics with the Emergency Center, the Anesthesia, Reanimation and Intensive Care Clinic and the Orthopedic Diseases Clinic. From 2011 to 2017, he was the director of the Surgical Emergency Center, while from 2017 he was appointed director of ISHPKU for traumatological, orthopedic, anesthesia, resuscitation and intensive care, Emergency Center in Skopje. In 2017, he was appointed National Advisor to the Minister of Health. In March 2018, he completed his doctoral studies in the department of traumatology at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ss. Kirili and Metodi in Skopje, meanwhile, in 2018 he completed the subspecialty in the field of traumatology of the musculoskeletal system. He has participated in many congresses, symposiums and other international meetings as an invited lecturer, as well as author and co-author of many publications and scientific works that have been reviewed in journals, congresses and symposiums. He is a member of many local and international associations of surgery and orthopedics, while at the Third Clinical Congress of KCS he will hold one of the main lectures.
Granit Mullaqi
Dr. Granit Mullaqi
Panajotis Koroveshi
Dr. Panajotis Koroveshi
Suleyman R. Cayli
Prof. Dr. Süleyman Rüştü Çaylı is a distinguished neurosurgeon who graduated from Hacettepe University School of Medicine and completed his residency training in Neurosurgery at Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital. He earned the academic titles of Associate Professor and Professor at İnönü University Faculty of Medicine, where he served in the Department of Neurosurgery from 1998 to 2014. Throughout his career, he has worked at several leading institutions, including Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, and has gained additional national and international experience through academic appointments at the Cleveland Clinic in the United States (2002) and Ege University (2003). He has also practiced in the private healthcare sector, including at Medical Park and Malatya Gözde Hospitals.
Pragnesh Bhatt
Dr. Pragnesh Bhatt, MB BS, is a distinguished Neurosurgeon with extensive experience in the diagnosis and surgical management of disorders affecting the brain, spine, and peripheral nervous system. Throughout his career, he has been committed to delivering high-quality patient care while advancing the field of neurosurgery through clinical excellence and continuous professional development. His areas of interest include cranial and spinal neurosurgery, neurotrauma, and the application of modern surgical techniques to improve patient outcomes. Mr. Bhatt is recognized for his dedication to evidence-based practice, multidisciplinary collaboration, and the education and mentorship of future healthcare professionals.
Michael Spyrou
Dr. Michalis (Michael) Spyrou is a highly regarded, fellowship-trained neurosurgeon based in Cyprus who specializes in advanced brain, spinal, and peripheral nervous system surgeries, including minimally invasive procedures, disc replacements, and tumor treatments. He serves patients across multiple medical centers in Limassol, Nicosia, and Paphos, and holds prominent leadership roles as the President of the Cyprus Neurosurgical Society and an Executive Committee Member for both the European (EANS) and World Associations of Neurosurgical Societies.
Faculty
We are proud to welcome a premier group of internationally acclaimed spine surgeons to Albania. Throughout the congress, these distinguished experts will take the stage to share their profound knowledge, moderate high-level interactive panels, and offer invaluable pearls from their own daily practices. Our faculty is dedicated to elevating the standard of spine surgery and providing every attendee with an unparalleled educational experience.
Organizing Committee
Irgen Hodaj
Sidorela Selmani
Geldon Fejzo
Onur Yaman
Barış Saygılı
Güçlühan Güçlü
Maren Ruka
Numan Karaarslan
Salim Şentürk
Ismail Bozkurt