About The Event
The 3rd Canadian Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension (SIH) Conference is organized by Spinal CSF Leak Canada, in affiliation with the Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, University of Toronto.
The conference will take place in person in Toronto on Saturday, April 17, and Sunday, April 18, 2027. Saturday, April 17, will feature a full day of didactic and interactive sessions, while Sunday, April 18, will be a half day focusing on interactive sessions.
A virtual attendance option is also available.
The conference is designed for healthcare professionals across multiple specialties, as well as patients, caregivers, and other health consumers, to provide education and awareness and to share the latest evidence-based practices and recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of SIH. The conference will feature an international faculty with extensive expertise in SIH.
All participants, both in person and virtual, will have the opportunity to actively engage in discussions and participate in active learning, including roundtable discussions and dedicated Q&A sessions.
Event learning objectives
After active engagement in this program, participants will be better able to:
Recognize the diverse clinical presentations of SIH, including atypical presentations, complications, and its impact on patient function, quality of life, and mental health.
Select and interpret appropriate diagnostic imaging strategies for suspected SIH, including brain and spine MRI, dynamic CT myelography, digital subtraction myelography, and emerging imaging techniques.
Compare current treatment approaches for SIH, including epidural blood and fibrin-glue patching, transvenous embolization, and surgical intervention, and apply these approaches to appropriate clinical scenarios.
Apply recommendations from the Canadian Consensus Guidelines for SIH to support evidence-informed diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up in clinical practice.
Develop individualized management and follow-up strategies for patients with SIH, including those with complex presentations, post-treatment complications, and ongoing recovery needs.
Apply clinical pearls and lessons learned from faculty experience to real-world practice challenges.
Event details
Date: April 17-18, 2027
April 17 | Full Day
April 18 | Half Day
Location: The Yorkville Royal Sonesta Hotel Toronto | 220 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 1T8
Scientific Planning Committee
Farnaz Amoozegar MD, MSc, FRCPC, Clinical Associate Professor, Dept Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary and Hotchkiss Brain Institute. (Co-Chair)
Philip Peng MBBS, FRCPC, Founder (Pain Med), Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, UHN, Sinai Health Network, Women’s College Hospital, University of Toronto. (Co-Chair)
Seung Cheol (Paul) Kim, MBChB, FRCA, FFPMRCA, Consultant in Anesthesia and Pain medicine.
Bahareh N. Cloutier, Founder, Chair, Spinal CSF Leak Canada, Patient representative.
Stephan du Plessis, MB, ChB (MD), M.Med (Neurosurgery), Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Calgary.
Megan Hansen, BSc, MD, FRCPC, Headache Fellow, Neurology, University of Calgary.
Anna Kalleitner BScN, RN, Clinical Nurse Coordinator - Intracranial Hypotension Program - Comprehensive Integrated Pain Program - Interventional Pain Service, Toronto Western Hospital University Health Network.
Anish Kapadia MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Imaging, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
Rosann Seviour MD, MSc, FRCPC, Specialist in Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Family physician, St. John's.
Event Organizing Committee
Farnaz Amoozegar MD, MSc, FRCPC, Clinical Associate Professor, Dept Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary and Hotchkiss Brain Institute.
Philip Peng MBBS, FRCPC, Founder (Pain Med), Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, UHN, Sinai Health Network, Women’s College Hospital, University of Toronto. Director.
Bahareh N. Cloutier, Founder, Chair, Spinal CSF Leak Canada.
Seung Cheol (Paul) Kim, MBChB, FRCA, FFPMRCA, Consultant in Anaesthesia and Pain medicine.
Matea Kokorovic, Volunteer at Spinal CSF Leak Canada.
Emma St.Aubin, Volunteer at Spinal CSF Leak Canada.