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WJOLS

Training in Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery in India
centers offer unrecognized fellowship and training GI surgery training should be performing advanced
program in laparoscopic surgery to the general surgeons. laparoscopic procedures. The training program should
In view of limited recognized options available; these be well structured and trainees must get adequate expo-
options are worth having but how much quality training sure and hands on training in open surgeries, basic and
that would provide is questionable. Some of the associ- advanced laparoscopic procedures. There should be a list
ations also furnish fellowship in minimal access surgery, of surgeries prepared by an authorized body; the trainee
which includes 3 to 4 days training by didactic lectures must have minimum exposure to those procedures and
followed by practical examination on endotrainer which minimum hands on training for listed surgical proce-
seems inadequate for surgeons who are not adequately dures. The training courses should be recognized by
trained previously. So, overall options to learn advanced authorized body and there should be a well-organized
laparoscopic surgery in India are limited. assessment program for trainees and institution as well.
The institution must have a faculty who is well verse
WHeRe IS THe gAP?
with the advanced laparoscopic surgery; for which there
The few training courses for advanced laparoscopy is also a need to train the trainers.
available currently in India, and they are not well
orga nized. The curriculum is not well structured. Many SuMMARy
of the fellowships are unrecognized. Majority of these Advanced laparoscopic surgery is the future and will
training programs provide exposure of basic laparoscopic become a necessity for the surgeon in coming time. A well
surgery with very limited training in advanced laparos- designed structured training in advanced laparoscopic
copic surgery. Advanced laparoscopic surgery is not just surgery is the need of the time. It will raise the standard
a replication of open surgery; it needs understanding
of different ergonomics and concepts. The laparoscopic of healthcare system in our country. Formal proper
training reduces the learning curve of the surgeon and
anatomy is quite different from open surgery. Majority
of the surgeons try self-learning; but they either fail to in turn will reduce the complications.
learn or they learn certain limited procedures and cannot RefeRenCeS
expand this field fully. Many of them compromised the
quality of surgery while trying to perform advanced 1. Nelson H, Sargent DJ, Wieand HS, Fleshman J, Anvari M,
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colectomy for colon cancer: the clinical outcomes of surgical
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many of the senior teachers at academic institutions those ment ofnon-metastatic colon cancer: a randomized trial.
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des pratiques en oncologie. Can J Surg 2013 Oct;56(5):297-310.
THe WAy foRWARd 4. Eshraghi N, Farahmand M, Soot SJ, Rand-Luby L, Deveney
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model training and supervised hands on training on 5. From website of Medical Council of India. (updated on 5th
patients. Endotrainer practice is good to develop hand June 2014) Available at: http://www.mciindia.org/Informa-
eye co-ordination but not enough to perform surgery on tionDesk/CollegesCoursesSearch.aspx?N=18 (On 10th June
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7
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