Focus On – Surgery

Course Master(s):

Dr. Manuel Jimenez Pelaez, Dipl. ECVS (ES)
Dr. Bart Van Goethem, Dipl. ECVS (BE)
Dr. Federico Massari, Dipl. ECVS (IT)

Course Overview

The intensive three-day Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery Masterclass tailored for veterinary professionals with prior experience in small animal laparoscopy. This course combines cutting-edge instruction with immersive hands-on training to help you refine your skills and apply advanced minimally invasive techniques with confidence and precision.
Led by a team of internationally renowned surgical experts, the masterclass offers a progressive learning journey, starting with dry-lab simulations and culminating in live-animal procedures under real surgical conditions. You will gain personalized guidance throughout, allowing for deep skill acquisition in a supportive, high-level learning environment.

Course Format:
• Day 1: Didactic sessions and hands-on training with dry-lab setups and ex-vivo models, focusing on advanced suturing and ligation techniques.
• Day 2: Morning theoretical sessions and case discussions, followed by practical exercises on canine cadavers in the afternoon.
• Day 3: Full-day live-animal lab with anesthetized pigs, providing a realistic surgical experience and the opportunity to perform complete procedures.

This course is specifically designed for veterinarians with established experience in small animal laparoscopy seeking to elevate their expertise to an advanced level.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this MasterClass, participants will be able to:

1. Master Suturing Techniques:
o Understand the physics and ergonomics of suturing in minimally invasive surgery.
o Execute extra-corporeal and intra-corporeal suturing techniques.
o Demonstrate proficiency with barbed sutures in laparoscopic tasks

2. Perform Laparoscopic Gastropexy:
o Evaluate and apply different suturing techniques
o Assess alternative port positions and integrate single-port or combined techniques.

3. Understand and Manage diaphragmatic and hiatal hernia Treatments:
o Identify indications and techniques for repairing diaphragmatic and hiatal hernias.

4. Perform Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy:
o Analyze medical backgrounds and make informed case selections.
o Differentiate between traditional and sub-serosal techniques for cholecystectomy.
o Conduct normograde and antegrade dissections with confidence.
o Utilize choledochoscopy and catheterization of the common bile duct (CBD) effectively.

5. Apply Techniques in Wet Labs:
o Perform hiatal hernia repair, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, gastropexy, and diaphragmatic hernia repairs in a cadaver and live surgical model.
o Apply laparoscopic techniques in a real-time environment to improve dexterity and decision-making.
These learning outcomes are designed to ensure participants develop both the theoretical knowledge and practical expertise required to excel in advanced laparoscopic procedures.

Course Program (Subject to change)