Press release

The International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (ISICEM), recognized as one of the largest international scientific meetings in its field, will welcome more than 5,000 physicians, researchers, nurses, and other healthcare professionals from around the world to Brussels for its 45th edition. Organized by the Department of Intensive Care of the Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles (HUB) in collaboration with the Belgian Society of Intensive Care Medicine (SIZ), ISICEM has, for more than four decades, served as a major global forum for the exchange of knowledge and innovation in intensive care and emergency medicine. Each year, the congress brings together leading international experts to discuss the most recent scientific advances, emerging technologies, and evolving models of care for critically ill patients.

The 2026 edition will address several key developments that are influencing current practice and shaping the future of critical care medicine.

1 – Are we Prepared for War and Mass Casualty Events?

Ongoing global conflicts and humanitarian crises are forcing healthcare systems worldwide to confront the reality of mass casualty events and large-scale medical emergencies. Sessions will explore how emergency and intensive care systems can be prepared for war-related injuries, major trauma, and sudden surges in patient numbers. Experts will discuss strategies for rapid expansion of emergency rooms and ICUs, triage protocols, coordination between civilian facilities and emergency networks, and how to manage resource limitations in extreme situations. These discussions aim to ensure that healthcare systems remain resilient and capable of responding effectively when large-scale medical crises arise, whether caused by armed conflict, pandemics, or natural disasters.

2 - Advances in Mechanical Circulatory Support

Temporary mechanical circulatory support for cardiogenic shock and severe cardiac failure is a rapidly evolving field in critical care. Recent years have seen major technological progress in cardiac assist devices -including systems such as micro-axial pumps and other ventricular assist platforms- which can provide temporary circulatory support in patients with severe cardiac dysfunction. These devices complement established technologies such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). However, these modern developments also raise important ethical issues, especially when patients cannot be weaned from extracorporeal support systems. Sessions dedicated to these innovations will discuss optimal patient selection, device management, complications, and ethical dilemmas.

3- Toward Truly Individualized Critical Care

A central theme will be the transition toward precision and individualized medicine in the ICU. The integration of large clinical datasets, advanced physiological monitoring, biomarkers, and machine learning is gradually enabling clinicians to tailor treatments more precisely to each patient’s biological profile and clinical trajectory. This shift may allow physicians to move beyond standardized protocols toward personalized therapeutic strategies, improving both survival and long-term functional outcomes.

4- Presentation of Major Clinical Trials

As in previous editions, the opening session of ISICEM will feature the first public presentation of several major international clinical trials, with simultaneous publication in leading peer-reviewed scientific journals. In addition, the Max Harry Weil lecture in this session will highlight recent advances in the management of severe infections (sepsis), including a better understanding of the patient response to microorganisms.

5 - Innovative Educational Formats

The educational formats used during the symposium continue to evolve. In addition to traditional lectures, ISICEM increasingly incorporates interactive demonstrations, simulation-based training sessions, hands-on workshops, and collaborations with industry partners presenting the very latest medical technologies and devices.

For more information and the full program, please visit: www.isicem.org