Dr. Nawaf Alotaibi of King Fahd Medical City presents a challenging endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy case today to an international panel of Asian EUS Group experts, in a new SGA × AEG endoscopic ultrasound education partnership.
Dr. Nawaf Alotaibi represents Saudi Arabia and the SGA in the 2nd DEEP EUS Education Program's Case 3 discussion today, 30 July 2026.
Today, 30 July 2026, the Saudi Gastroenterology Association (SGA) takes part as a contributing partner in the 2nd DEEP EUS Education Program, an interactive case-based webinar convened by the Asian EUS Group (AEG) Education Subcommittee under the theme "Difficult EUS-FNB." Held across time zones spanning Asia-Pacific and the Gulf — 16:00–17:30 Hong Kong/Taiwan time, 11:00–12:30 in Saudi Arabia — the 90-minute session pairs live case presentations with open discussion among a panel of the region's leading endoscopic ultrasound specialists.
Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) has become central to diagnosing pancreaticobiliary and subepithelial lesions, yet difficult cases — inconclusive cytology, technically demanding lesion locations, or discordant imaging — remain a recurring challenge even for experienced endosonographers. DEEP EUS's case-based format is built precisely for this gap: rather than a standard didactic lecture, presenters walk an international panel through an unresolved or instructive case in real time, opening the kind of cross-border second-opinion discussion that rarely happens in routine practice.
"This collaboration reflects the SGA's commitment to fostering international academic partnerships and advancing endoscopy education."
The programme is chaired by Prof. Tae-Hyeon Kim (South Korea), opens with remarks from Dr. Anthony Teoh (Hong Kong), and features a 20-minute expert mini-lecture from Prof. Susumu Hijioka of the National Cancer Center Hospital, Japan, on "Cytology to Histology: Difficult EUS/FNB Cases." Three cases follow, presented by Dr. Chaiti Gandhi (Ansh Clinic, India), Dr. Panotpol Termsinsuk (Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand), and Dr. Nawaf Alotaibi, Expert Advanced Endoscopist and Consultant Gastroenterologist at King Fahd Medical City, representing Saudi Arabia and the SGA. Dr. Alotaibi's case — moderated by Dr. Teoh, with discussion led by Prof. Ichiro Yasuda and Prof. Hijioka — places a challenging Saudi EUS-FNB case directly in front of the same panel reviewing cases from India and Thailand, letting the discussion move fluidly across practice patterns in three different health systems.
For the SGA, participation in DEEP EUS is more than a single case discussion. The Saudi Gastroenterology Association is pleased to collaborate with the Asian EUS Group through the DEEP EUS Educational Program, an international educational initiative dedicated to advancing excellence in endoscopic ultrasound through interactive case-based learning and expert discussion.
The session closes with remarks from Prof. Kim and a note from the AEG Education Subcommittee that the DEEP EUS series — supported by Olympus — will continue with further cases drawn from member societies across the region. This collaboration reflects the SGA's commitment to fostering international academic partnerships and advancing endoscopy education, and reinforces a 2025–2027 strategic priority: keeping Saudi advanced endoscopists visible and active within the global EUS community rather than training in isolation.
