Belgian Section of Obesity and Metabolic Surgery
BeSOMS
The national association for obesity care in Belgium. We connect surgeons, healthcare professionals, and researchers who collaborate on improving the treatment of obesity.
News
Abstract submissions for BeSOMS @ BSW are now open!
BeSOMS is pleased to announce its presence at the 28th Belgian Surgical Week, which will take place in Antwerp from Thursday 23 April to Saturday 25 April 2026.
As part of its yearly tradition, BeSOMS will organise a 90-minute video session, this year in collaboration with BAST (Belgian Association for Surgical Trainees). The session will be held on Friday 24 April 2026 from 16:30 to 18:00.
Following the BeSOMS-BAST video session, an update on the reform of surgical training will be presented by the RBSS and the Commission for Surgical Training, and we therefore expect a large audience to attend.
This session offers surgical trainees, with the support of their trainers, the opportunity to present interesting bariatric cases. For this year’s edition, we especially welcome submissions focusing on innovative techniques and technologies, including:
new robotic platforms
revisional or challenging robotic cases
new surgical techniques or concepts
endoscopic procedures
emerging technologies in bariatric surgery
To ensure an objective selection process, the name of the presenter and the name of the hospital must not appear in the video.
We warmly encourage all trainees and trainers with inspiring bariatric cases to submit an abstract and contribute to this exciting session at Belgian Surgical Week 2026.
About BeSOMS
In 1996 the Benelux Association of Bariatric Surgeons was founded to unite specialists from the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg with a special interest in the surgical treatment of obesity. Due to the exponentially growing interest in the field of bariatric surgery, a Belgian organisation was founded in oktober 2005 under the name “Section of Obesity Surgery Belgium” or SOSB, and the BABS structure was kept as the liaison with the IFSO. The names of the original founders were J. Closset, A. De Roover, B. De Waele, A. D'Hoore, B. DIllemans, M. Legrand, L. Lemmens, L. Hendrickx, D. Herman, J. Himpens, G. Hubens, M. Miserez, G. Vander Velpen and E. Van Vyve. The first chairman was Piet Pattyn. Further evolution in the field of bariatric surgery revealed the important role of this type of surgery on the control of metabolic disorders like diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnoea and the name of the society was changed to “Belgian Section of Obesity and Metabolic Surgery” or BeSOMS. Meanwhile, the BeSOMS is a full section of the Belgian Royal Society of Surgery (RBSS) and has organised numerous congresse, symposia, workshops and other scientific meetings in Belgium and abroad.
BeSOMS BeSOMS @ BSW
Save the dates: 23 April 2026 – 25 April 2026!
The 28th Belgian Surgical Week will be held in Antwerp this year , from Thursday the 23th April until Saturday 25th April 2026. As a yearly tradition, BeSOMS will be holding a a VIDEO-session of 90 minutes, this year in collaboration with BAST (Belgian Association for Surgical Trainees). The session will take place on Friday afternoon between 16.30 and 18.00. Afterwards, an update on the reform of surgical training will be given by the RBSS and the commission for surgical training, so we expect a large crowd attending. In the video session trainees, with the support of their trainers, are given the opportunity to present interesting bariatric cases. This year we will be focusing on innovative techniques such as new robotic platforms, revisional or challenging robotic cases, new surgical techniques of concepts, endoscopic procedures or new technologies. Kind regards, Dr. Donald Van Der Fraenen President BeSOMS