Additional Academic Staff

Name	Phone	Email	Location
Mr (Chrys) Indran Chrysantha Sri Lal Hensman MBBS (Hons) FRACS	03 9760 2777	chris.hensman@adelaide.edu.au	Melbourne
Mr Alex Karatassas MBBS, FRACS	08 8222 6750	alex.karatassas@adelaide.edu.au	The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Dr Dinesh TrehanMBBS, MS (Gen.Surg), DNB (Gen.Surg)FRACGP, FRACS	08 8182 9000	dinesh.trehan@adelaide.edu.au	Royal Adelaide Hospital
Dr. Santosh Antony 0lakkengil, MBBS, DNB (Gen.Surg.), M.MinInvSu.(Aus), FIAGES	08 8123 6826	santosh.olakkengil@adelaide.edu.au	Royal Adelaide Hospital

Administrative Contact

Name	Phone	Email	Location
Ms Sally Lauder	08 8222 7024	sally.lauder@health.sa.gov.au	The Queen Elizabeth Hospital

1	Describe the anatomy of the abdominal wall, muscles, blood vessels and nerves.
2	Describe the retroperitoneum and relevant anatomy to laparoscopic trocar entry including the anatomical basis of complications.
3	Describe the anatomical basis of preperitoneal and retroperitoneal working space creation.
4	Demonstrate a clear understanding of laparoscopic ports.
5	Explain and demonstrate how to set up for optimal ergonomic benefits in MIS.
6	Describe the oncological considerations in MIS.
7	Be able to communicate how robotics may improve the ability to operate in areas with limited access.
8	Describe the anaesthetic implications in relation to MIS.
9	Describe the issues with pain and measures to reduce the downsides and improve pain management in MIS procedures.
10	Be familiar with and understand the drivers of innovation and impediments.

Students will require access to a computer and the internet.

All learning resources will be delivered online with online tutorials consisting of links to text, video and websites delivering relevant content.

All learning resources will be delivered online with online tutorials consisting of links to text, video and websites delivering relevant content.

Colloquy will provide the online learning system for students (no link available at time of writing)

Theory II will be taught via online tutorials with directed learning to text, videos and websites.

Type	No of Sessions	Duration of Sessions (hrs)	Total Hours
Online tutorials	10	3	30
Exam	1	1	1
Reading/study time	10	6	60
Tutorial preparation	10	5	50
Exam preparation		15	10
Written Assignments	7	3	21
TOTAL workload per term			172

Term 2

Week	Topic	Lecture
1	Abdominal Wall and Retroperitoneal anatomy	This topic will provide an overview of abdominal wall anatomy and retroperitoneum implications of access.
2	Ergonomics	This topic will explore the concept of ergonomics and how it applies to the field of minimally invasive surgery.
3	Ports and Abdominal Access Technology	This topic will cover ports and current access technology. It will also address creating and maintaining working spaces, port closure and wound protection techniques. New innovations in body cavity entry such as HALS and SILS will be explored and discussed. This topic also explores how surgery within the MIS environment is unique and distinct from the traditional open experience. The limitations of two dimensional visual display systems, ports with fixed fulcrums and the constraints and limitations in degrees of movement complicate and add to the level of technical difficulty in MIS. Efficient and safe MIS performance requires a superior knowledge of ergonomics.
4	Robotics	This topic will introduce students to robotics and how they are used in spaces in MIS. Two obvious spaces are the peritoneum and thoracic cavity but working spaces can be formed in the retroperitoneum and pre-peritoneal planes. The advantages of this approach include reduced pain, avoiding intraperitoneal adhesions and closer proximity to relevant anatomy.
5	Physiological Effects of Pneumoperitoneumry	This topic covers the fundamental aspects of the physiological effects to the pneumoperitoneum, including cardiovascular and pulmonary systems. It will also touch on insufflation gases including chemistry, absorption characteristics and physiological effects of different gases including methods and technology to warm and humidify gases.
6	Oncological Controversies	This topic will address oncological issues and controversies in MIS such the possible risks in treating malignancy with MIS techniques? The topic will also cover what port site recurrence and whether this is a real problem.  Whether MIS causes less immune suppression than open surgery and whether MIS has an overall advantage in regards to the human immune state.
7	Anaesthesia and Analgesia	In this topic specific issues in anaesthesia and pain in MIS will be discussed. It will emphasise the importance of having a thorough understanding of the changes in physiology that the anaesthetist is faced with during MIS.
8	Surgical Innovation – Part 1	This topic will provide an overview of innovation in surgery. Over two weeks this topic will highlight modern concepts around innovation. The aim of this module is to highlight the pathway to innovation from concept to reality. The concept of innovation is not limited to specific individuals but an ability that is inherent to all. The module aims to give keys to the concepts around innovation and an understanding of the inherent road blocks to innovation.Column cell
9	Surgical Innovation – Part 2
10	Revision	•    Surgical Skills Workshop weekend •    Reading week

In order to be eligible for this program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

Professional requirements:
•    Students must be an experienced surgeon who has completed, or be within 1 year of completing, the FRACS, FRACOG (or equivalent).
•    Students should have a surgical fellowship or consultant position with a major interest in minimally invasive surgery.

Visa requirements:
•    Permanent residency or citizenship - to be a domestic applicant
•    or hold a Temporary Business (Long Stay) Visa (Subclass 457) – to be an International applicant.
•    Students must be resident in Australia.

Work placement:
Students should have a surgical fellowship or consultant position with a major interest in minimally invasive surgery. This surgical position is not automatically offered with the Master of Minimally Invasive Surgery and students are personally responsible for obtaining a suitable position.  Job dates should coincide with the University of Adelaide quadmester dates.

All students will attend a Surgical Skills Workshop weekend

Assessment Task	Assessment Type	Weighting	Learning outcome(s) being addressed
Written assignments	Summative	40%	1-10
Discussion/group contribution and participation	Participation	25%	1-10
Surgical skills workshop	Summative	35%	1-10

All tutorials and workshops are compulsory.

Overall assessment details:
•    The surgical skills workshop will account for 35% of the overall assessment. It will include practical assessment and an open book exam.
•    Written assignments will consist of four online written assignments.  The assignments are either 1,000 or 2,000 words. All marks will go towards a total of 40% of the overall assessment.
•    Discussion /group contribution and participation. Contribution to discussion groups and boards and contribution performance metrics will also be taken into account accounting for 25% of the overall assessment.

Individual assessment tasks:
Students are required to submit a 1,000 word (unless otherwise stated) assignment on the tutorial topic or contribute to discussion topics.  Where it is an assigned discussion, students will be graded on the quality of their posts, not necessarily on the quantity—what is expected is substantive participation in all assigned discussions.
1.    What are the key differences in the abdominal wall and peritoneal cavity between the neonate, child, and adult? Explain how these differences impact safety in MIS. Please give examples in your answer. (worth 10% of overall course grade)
2.    Describe in detail the ergonomic factors that you must consider when performing a laparoscopic procedure. Include patient position, operative personnel, devices, instruments and give examples of ergonomic problems that you personally encounter. (worth 10% of overall course grade)
3.    a) Compare the various surgical methods covered in this topic (HALS and SILS).
b) Which of these methods do you believe is most viable? Explain what leads you to this conclusion. How would you use these techniques in your practice? (Discussion)
4.    a) In your opinion is robotics the future of MIS or just a fad? Explain your position providing examples and data that makes your case. (Discussion)
b) Research the latest developments in minisurgical robots. Based on your research, in your opinion what are the reasons for the market superiority of the Da Vinci robot? Explain your position and provide examples and data to support your statements. (Discussion)
5.    What do you think of the mechanism that the Surgiseal Air Seal system uses? What are the potential advantages and disadvantages of using it? How might you use it in your own practice? (Discussion)
6.    Identify the various functions and uses of the Alexis Wound Protector. What are the devices advantages and disadvantages? How many uses are there outside of wound retraction? (worth 10% of overall course grade)
7.    Discuss the latest advances in postoperative analgesia. Identify those that you use in your practice, and describe their advantages and disadvantages and in what situations they are most appropriate. (Discussion)
8.    In a 2,000 word essay: (worth 10% of overall course grade)
a) Describe the process of innovation and the barriers to innovation. Give examples from your own work.
b) List the five key steps in innovation.
c) List the common blocks to innovation.

•    All submissions relating to tutorials will be delivered online via Colloquy’s online system.
•    Examination location and date will be communicated by Program Coordinator and/or Program Administrator.
•    Exam result turnaround time will be a maximum of 14 days.
•    Any queries relating to classroom contribution can be discussed directly with ProgramCoordinator.
•    Students should refer to the University’s Academic Honesty and Assessment Obligations for Coursework Students Policy & Coursework Students: Academic Dishonesty Procedures for information regarding written submissions: http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/230/?dsn=policy.document;field=data;id=239;m=view
•    Students should contact the Program Coordinator if;

Academic:                     

Professor Peter Hewett                 
Program Coordinator                 
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital            
Email:  peter.hewett@health.sa.gov.au         
Phone:  08 8222 6248                 

Professor Guy Maddern
Program Director
Head of Discipline, Surgery
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Email:  guy.maddern@adelaide.edu.au
Phone:  08 8222 8492 (Departmental Secretary)


Administrative:

MS Sally Lauder
Program Administrator
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Email:  sally.lauder@health.sa.gov.au
Phone:  08 8222 7024