What is it about?
We present an innovative microsurgical training method for plastic surgery residents in the operation theater concerning the anterolateral thigh perforator flap (ALT). In a 2-team approach, the ALT flap harvesting begins parallel to tumor resection. Although the tumor excision team still works in the tumor region, and after the reconstructive team has successfully completed the ALT dissection, residents can work distally to the origin of the perforator vessel (which supplies the flap). Their training involves dissection and anastomosis of the continuation of the descending branch, distally to the perforator supplying the flap.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
The road to becoming a good and confident microsurgeon requires love for your work, patience, and good training facilities. Safe and effective training procedures for young microsurgeons during their plastic surgery residency are necessary and should be applied under standardized conditions.Economic considerations, safety regulations, a negative perception with an hypothesized prolonged operative time with the resident’s involvement contradict adequate teaching and create obstacles against microsurgery training. Young microsurgeons who have successfully completed the basic and advanced courses in microsurgery (eg, flap dissection courses and video-assisted microsurgery, which are essential for acquiring the high level of technical skill required), are able to perform free flaps in the operation room, as a teaching procedure under standardized conditions.1
Perspectives
With respect to standardized environmental conditions and risk stratification, we hope that our innovative model of microsurgical training in the operation theater will be helpful for young microsurgeons worldwide and will strengthen their microsurgical skills. The high level of expertise of the teacher, the resident’s experience and the proper institutional infrastructure is mandatory. We recommend this innovative procedure as an adequate teaching method during residency to promote the future of our specialty, and we hope that our students will become even better than their teachers. Giving motivations to young microsurgeons to operate during this safe training method, will reboost the microsurgery specialty and keep it in top and alive.
Dr Parthena Deskoulidi
Saint Savvas Cancer Hospital of Athens-Greece
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The Anterolateral Thigh Perforator Flap in an Innovative Microsurgery Training Method, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open, November 2018, Wolters Kluwer Health,
DOI: 10.1097/gox.0000000000001974.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
