26 January 2011
Trainee surgeons at Epsom Hospital can now practice complex 'keyhole' techniques using state-of-the-art simulators, thanks to a charity which supports the hospital's work.
Epsom Medical Equipment Fund officially presented two cutting edge laparoscopy (keyhole) simulators, which cost £5,000 each, to the hospital last Wednesday (19 January). The electronic equipment allows trainee surgeons to hone their skills to perfection by 'operating' on synthetic tissue or animal organs.
The simulators use tiny cameras to project the trainees' exact hand movements onto a monitor - exactly the way that a laparoscopic surgeon works in the operating theatre. Nowadays, keyhole surgery can be used on patients with gall stones, hernias and to remove diseased spleens and tumours.
Receiving the equipment, Matthew Hopkins, Chief Executive of Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We are incredibly grateful to Epsom Medical Equipment Fund for their support - these simulators will be an invaluable tool in helping us continue to train highly skilled surgeons of tomorrow."
Mr Dhia Al-Musawi is the Trust's main laparoscopic surgeon. He said: "Keyhole surgery is being used for more and more conditions, but because it is so delicate and precise it can be very difficult to train surgeons in. I've been very keen to get hold of these simulators for the hospital - they simply are the best hands-on training a trainee can have without actually performing an operation.
"There are numerous benefits to keyhole surgery. Because it is a lot less invasive, there is minimal pain for the patients, they recover much faster and many go home the same day - very often they can return to work quickly - and there is also a much smaller chance of the healing wound becoming infected."
Bess Harding is the Co-ordinator of Epsom Medical Equipment Fund. Bess said: "I'm delighted that these simulators will help train the surgeons of the future, and very happy to continue supporting Epsom Hospital with this donation."
