The first ever International Course on Perforator Flaps (ICPF) was organized in Gent, Belgium, 20 years ago in 1997, when perforator flap surgery was still in its pioneering phase. Perforator flap surgery was described as extravagant and exceptional in those days but it has now become the mainstream reconstructive technique for restoring defects throughout the body. What started as a small meeting among friends, has grown into a major international forum where colleagues share their new ideas in the field of perforator flap surgery.

The course has travelled the world and has been hosted in many countries in all continents. The last ICPF was hosted by the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) at the University of Sydney, Australia (10 - 13 November 2016).

The unique feature of the ICPF still remains: friends interested in sharing their knowledge get together to exchange surgical techniques, tips and tricks in a friendly atmosphere. An outstanding International Faculty informally mingles with the participants to teach person-to-person not only about the basics but also about advanced techniques that they have personally developed over the last 20 years. This personal atmosphere at the meeting makes it so successful.