Overview

Prof. Nikos Vrachnis is an Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Athens Medical School, Attiko University Hospital in Athens, and Chair of the ISUOG Validation Task Force. Currently, he serves as President of the Hellenic Authority for Medically Assisted Reproduction. He is also a Visiting Reader in Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine at St George’s University Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London.
 

Nikos has written or edited 15 books, has more than 150 scientific publications and has been awarded four times for his research work.  He has a special interest in medical education, simulation and training, preterm labour, Down’s syndrome, fetal anomalies and 3D/4D ultrasound. Has run more than 100 practical courses in Greece and Cyprus, including Obstetric and Gynecologic Ultrasound courses, as well as courses in Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Presently serves as President of the Hellenic Society of Obstetric and Gynecologic Emergency.

Within the ISUOG he is a member of the Educational Committee, of the Basic Training Task Force and of the Patient Leaflets task force.

Notable publications
Soluble Fas and Fas-ligand levels in mid-trimester amniotic fluid and their associations with severe small for gestational age fetuses: a prospective observational study.
Vrachnis N, Dalainas I, Papoutsis D, Samoli E, Rizos D, Iliodromiti Z, Siristatidis C, Tsikouras P, Creatsas G, Botsis D. J Reprod Immunol. 2013 Jun;98(1-2):39-44

The fetus that is small for gestational age.
Vrachnis N, Botsis D, Iliodromiti Z. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2006 Dec;1092:304-9

Elevated mid-trimester amniotic fluid ADAM-8 concentrations as a potential risk factor for preterm delivery.
Vrachnis N, Malamitsi-Puchner A, Samoli E, Botsis D, Iliodromiti Z, Baka S, Hassiakos D, Creatsas G. J Soc Gynecol Investig. 2006 Apr;13(3):186-90.

Resistin in mid-trimester amniotic fluid in trisomy 21.
Vrachnis N, Gkogkas L, Iliodromiti S, Grigoriadis C, Samoli E, Iliodromiti Z, Pangalos C, Pappa KI, Drakoulis N, Creatsas G, Botsis D. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2013 Nov;26(16):1576-80

Three-dimensional ultrasound and three-dimensional power Doppler improve the preoperative evaluation of complex benign ovarian lesions.
Vrachnis N, Sifakis S, Samoli E, Kappou D, Pavlakis K, Iliodromiti Z, Botsis D. Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol. 2012;39(4):474-8.

Hospital visiting in obstetrics and gynecology: a tool for the advancement of training.
Creatsas G, Vrachnis N. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2006 Dec;95(3):298-301

Placental growth factor (PlGF): a key to optimizing fetal growth.
Vrachnis N, Kalampokas E, Sifakis S, Vitoratos N, Kalampokas T, Botsis D, Iliodromiti Z. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2013 Jul;26(10):995-1002.

Doppler assessment of the intrauterine growth-restricted fetus.
Botsis D, Vrachnis N, Christodoulakos G. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2006 Dec;1092:297-303

Country: Greece

Field: Obstetrics, Gynecology, Fetal-Maternal Medicine

Specialties: Preterm labour, Down’s syndrome, fetal anomalies, and 3D/4D ultrasound

Languages: Greek, English

Dr Basma Darwish graduated with an MD degree in 2005 from the Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain, she pursued a five year residency program in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Rouen University in France.

Her experience is in Obstetrics and Gynecology as well as ultrasound, with both national and international participations. She is currently the head of Saudi's National Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Training Program, where she is in charge of supervising residents, mentoring them and participating in the development of the scientific and clinical program. She is also responsible for the Fetal Assessment Unit. 

Country: Bahrain

Languages: English; Arabic, French

Co-Founder of CéBB (Centre d’échographie Boulogne-Billancourt) and Centre SFFERe (Spécialiste Fœtus, Femme Enceinte et Reproduction). Part timer in the Fetal surgery center, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Paris, France.

Dr Gihad E. Chalouhi  MD, PhD is an Obstetrics and Gynecology specialist. He worked for 8 years with Prof. Yves Ville Y and Prof. Laurent Salomon in Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Paris and is subspecialized in in prenatal diagnosis, fetal medicine, fetoscopy and fetal surgery with more than 300 performed fetoscopies. He is specialized in fetal imaging and obtained his PhD in fetal functional MRI in Paris Descartes University and INSERM unit U970. He is a member of the CNGOF (French National College of obstetrics and Gynecology), the LSOG (Lebanese Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology) and the CFEF (French College of Fetal Ultrasound).

He is a pioneer in the implementation of simulation in obstetrical and gynecological ultrasound education, and remains actively involved in this integration. He is an active member of ISUOG's Basic Training Task Force, and leader of the Simulation Work Group. For the last five years he has worked as part of ISUOG's Clinical Standards Committee for the establishment of ISUOG’s Guidelines.

He is the co-founder and President of SimECHOle, the school for ultrasound training and education using simulators in Paris, France.

Notable Publications: Dr Chalouhi has co-authored more than 70 scientific publications in internationally renowned journals and more then 10 chapters.

Use of simulators for the assessment of trainees' competence: trendy toys or valuable instruments?
Tolsgaard MG, Chalouhi GE. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2018  Apr 17. doi: 10.1002/uog.19071. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 29667240.

"Fake it until they make it": Practical obstetrical and gynecological ultrasound education nowadays in France.
Chalouhi GE, Gueneuc A, Levaillant JM, Ville Y. Gynecol Obstet Fertil Senol. 2017 Nov;45(11):579-581. doi: 10.1016/j.gofs.2017.09.008. Epub 2017 Nov 3. French. PubMed PMID: 29108903.

Evaluation of trainees' ability to perform obstetrical ultrasound using simulation: challenges and opportunities.
Chalouhi GE, Bernardi V, Gueneuc A, Houssin I, Stirnemann JJ, Ville Y. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016 Apr;214(4):525.e1-525.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2015.10.932. Epub 2015 Nov 10. PubMed PMID: 26546849.

Ultrasound simulators in obstetrics and gynecology: state of the art.
Chalouhi GE, Bernardi V, Ville Y. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2015 Sep;46(3):255-63. doi: 10.1002/uog.14707. PubMed PMID: 25346451.

Country: Lebanon and France

Field: Obstetrics/Gynecology/Fetal medicine and surgery

Specialties: Fetal anomaly screening 1st trimester and 2nd trimester; fetal biometry and wellbeing; fetal anomalies screening; aneuploidy screening; fetal anomalies; fetal heart; fetal growth restriction; maternal and fetal Doppler; fetal interventional procedure; multiple pregnancy; early pregnancy; fetal growth; education in Ob-Gyn ultrasound; fetal MRI and functional MRI; fetal surgery.

Languages: French; English; Arabic