From 27 June to 1 July 2026, the 2nd international Help-in-Hand “Painless” course took place at the premises of Inter-Neuro, as well as its affiliated clinics and institutes. This free training programme is part of the “Help-in-Hand” charity initiative, founded by Dr Horaczek and Robert Chevara, and has now been successfully conducted for the second time.

The project is primarily aimed at physicians from developing and resource-limited countries. Its focus lies on teaching both the techniques and organisational aspects of minimally invasive procedures in spinal pain therapy – delivered in a practical, sustainable manner with direct relevance to the participants’ clinical work.

This year, we had the pleasure of welcoming participants from Togo, Egypt, Bulgaria, the Philippines, Jordan, and Ukraine to Berlin. Over the course of five days, an intensive professional exchange developed, extending well beyond the mere transfer of knowledge.
Once again, the course proved to be a great success, clearly demonstrating how mutual respect, openness, and a shared enthusiasm for learning can overcome cultural and political boundaries. This unique form of collaboration enriches everyone involved and lays a valuable foundation for future partnerships.

We are already looking forward with great anticipation to the continuation of the programme in 2027.

The Help-in-Hand/Inter-Neuro ‘Painless 2025’ course was featured in detail and recognised in the latest newsletter of the Philippine Society of Neurosurgery, published to mark this year’s annual congress.

The aim of this special aid project is to provide doctors from developing countries with free, practical further training in the field of minimally invasive spinal pain therapy. These modern procedures help to relieve pain gently and effectively for many patients.

Following the great success of “Painless 2025”, we are delighted that another Help-in-Hand “Painless” course will take place this June at Inter Neuro in Berlin.

As part of the Help-in-Hand project, Dr Horaczek continued his initiative and travelled from Manila to the north of the main Philippine island. There, he led another course on minimally invasive pain management.

On site, Dr Sixto Ordoño, who until recently was the only fully qualified neurosurgeon in the region, organised a representative selection of pain patients. This gave them access for the first time to targeted and effective treatment for their spinal conditions.

At the same time, the course offered participating doctors the opportunity to benefit directly from Dr Horaczek’s many years of experience and expertise. New treatment methods were not only taught but also put into practice.
The first Help-in-Hand course was thus a great success. The second will take place in three weeks’ time at Inter Neuro in Berlin.

Photos: Robert Chevara

Dr Horaczek is currently in the Philippines, where he is delivering the third and final module of the ‘Help-in-Hand’ course on minimally invasive pain management, which he initiated, at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila.

The aim of this special training programme is to provide doctors from developing countries with free, practical training in the field of minimally invasive spinal pain management. These modern techniques can help many patients to treat pain gently and effectively.

The main module of the first course took place in mid-2025 at our practice premises in Berlin and was conducted in collaboration with the Inter Neuro team.

In this concluding module, the focus is on supporting participants in introducing the techniques they have learnt at their respective home hospitals. This ensures that the knowledge is applied sustainably and that patients in the local area can benefit in the long term.

During his visit, Dr Horaczek also delivered the opening lecture of the newly established ‘Padayon’ lecture programme at PGH Manila. This programme represents a new platform for specialised medical training and promotes international professional exchange.

Photos: Robert Chevara

At the 17th World Congress of the International Neuromodulation Society (INS 2026) in Lisbon, Dr Bayerl presented the successful results of a study on peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) for pain in the sacroiliac joint. This approach represents a promising, minimally invasive treatment option and showed extremely encouraging results in the patients treated.

In addition, numerous highly innovative non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures for the treatment of chronic pain were presented. The diversity and breadth of these developments proved to be exceptionally exciting and inspiring.

In addition to the scientific exchange, the event also offered a valuable opportunity to reconnect with many colleagues, friends and leading innovators in the field of neuromodulation and pain medicine.

PD Dr Bayerl is looking forward to future collaborations and the next steps in the further development of modern neuromodulatory therapies.

Our team event kicked off with some action on the go-kart track, where everyone went full throttle in a spirit of fun and teamwork.

The team then rounded off a successful afternoon with a meal together in a relaxed atmosphere.

Dr Horaczek spent this year’s Easter in Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt, where he continued his regular involvement in training young Egyptian neurosurgeons.

Working alongside his Egyptian colleagues, he examined and treated neurosurgical patients and carried out several surgical procedures. During this visit, he also began initial preparations for hosting one of the upcoming “Help-in-Hand” pain therapy courses in Cairo.

In preparation for the second “Help-in-Hand” Painless aid project, Dr Horaczek travelled to Tbilisi, Georgia, over the weekend.

There, he met with several Georgian neurosurgeons to organise this year’s course in minimally invasive spinal pain therapy.

Following the positive feedback from participants in last year’s course, the free event — aimed at medical colleagues from resource-limited countries — will take place at Inter Neuro in Berlin from 27 June to 1 July 2026.

An application form is available at www.help-in-hand.org.

As part of his charity project “Help-in-Hand”, Dr Horaczek recently travelled for several days to Accra, Ghana, and Lomé, Togo, where he met with leading neurosurgeons from both West African countries to initiate a collaboration with Inter Neuro.

As a first step, young Ghanaian and Togolese neurosurgeons, as well as pain specialists, will participate in one of the upcoming Help-in-Hand courses for doctors from developing countries, which will once again be held at Inter Neuro in Berlin. The local organisation and selection of participants will be overseen by Dr Akoto from Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra and Dr Doleagbenou from Lomé.

Furthermore, Dr Horaczek gladly agreed to return to Ghana and Togo in the near future to carry out neurosurgical operations together with local colleagues and to organise a course in endoscopic cranial and spinal neurosurgery.