Vascular Trauma Course, Basic Competence in Emergency Vascular Surgery for Non-Vascular Surgeons

Basic Class, March 8-9, 2024 in Ulm, Germany  The courses are intended for military and civilian non-vascular surgeons seeking to achieve a higher level of expertise in the management of vascular injuries (22 CME).

Programme and Information

In recent military conflicts, the percentage of major vascular injuries has increased to more than 12% of all injuries. What is more, 10% of civilian victims of terrorist attacks sustain severe vascular injuries. As a result of this development and the immediate threat that these injuries pose to the life and limbs of soldiers, military surgeons who are deployed in a combat environment must have relevant expertise in emergency vascular surgery. In a civilian setting, competence in emergency vascular surgery can also help non-vascular surgeons save the life and limbs of patients with traumatic injuries or intraoperative vascular complications.
The courses are thus intended for military and civilian non-vascular surgeons seeking to achieve a higher level of expertise in the management of vascular injuries. In an attempt to enable surgeons to manage the injury patterns and complications that are associated with the above mentioned changes in military and civilian settings, we have extended our training programme, which now includes an advanced course. This course will be conducted in addition to the basic course, which has been a success so far at both the national and international levels. Detailed information about the courses can be found under the headings “Basic Course” and “Advanced Course” below.
Both courses place particular emphasis on hands-on training using the tried and tested as well as new and innovative models from Vascular International School. These models offer participants an excellent opportunity to practice surgical techniques in realistic scenarios. These techniques will be taught by a well-established team of trainer from Vascular International School and the Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery of the German Armed Forces Hospital in Ulm. There is a ratio of one trainer to four participants, who will thus receive the guidance and support they need in an intensive learning environment.
The course has been accredited with 22 CME points from the regional Medical Association. After the course, participants will receive a Vascular International certificate. The courses are open to international participants and will therefore be held in English.

Download Flyer Courses and Programme 2023

 

INFORMATION AND CONTACT

Organiser

  • Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
    German Armed Forces Hospital of Ulm
  • Vascular International School

Convenor

Venue Basic and Master Courses

  • Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
    German Armed Forces Hospital of Ulm
    Oberer Eselsberg 40, 89081 Ulm, Germany

Dates

  • Basic Training: March 8-9, 2024
  • Master Class: October 4–5, 2024

Registration Mrs Jutta Schmidt

Accommodation Basic and Advanced Course

A limited number of rooms have been reserved at the IQHotel Ulm (www.iq-hotels.de, +49 (0) 731 509 7050) under booking reference “Bwk Ulm”.

Basic Training
The two-day basic course has run successfully for many years. It is intended for military and civilian non-vascular surgeons seeking to acquire basic skills and techniques for managing the vascular injuries they encounter especially in emergency situations but also during routine clinical practice. This course includes excellent hands-on training during which participants will learn and practice vascular surgical techniques using life-like pulsatile models. Theoretical knowledge of reconstruction techniques and procedures, sutures and instruments is provided during brief theoretical sessions and in the course book that participants will receive prior to the course.
The clear focus of the basic course is on hands-on training during which participants will learn basic vascular surgical techniques such as arteriotomy, different types of sutures and anastomoses as well as troubleshooting in vascular surgery (e.g. intraluminal shunting and thrombectomy).
Work stations with life-like leg models and boxes allow participants to practice techniques under pulsatile flow conditions. Two participants share a work station.
The course concludes with a “competition” that offers participants the opportunity to demonstrate their newly acquired knowledge of how to manage a wide variety of injury patterns.

Master Class
This course will give participants the opportunity to apply the basic knowledge and skills in vascular surgery that they have acquired in the basic course or elsewhere to life-like anatomical models in intensive hands-on training sessions. Since vascular injuries to the abdomen and the neck account for 18% of all vascular injuries in the civilian setting and even 21% in the military setting, participants practice on novel abdominal and neck models under pulsatile flow conditions in realistic scenarios.
The abdominal model helps participants learn how to manage injuries to the aorta, the vena cava, and the pelvic arteries and veins. The spectrum of techniques ranges from simple direct sutures to the placement of bifurcated grafts. Two participants share a model and a work station. Neck models help participants learn how to repair carotid injuries using a variety of techniques such as direct sutures, patch angioplasty, interposition grafts, and the transposition of vessels. Pitfalls associated with these procedures are addressed as well. Using a special model, participants will learn a special damage control technique that is known as Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) and involves the placement of an occluding balloon in the vessel in order to obtain temporary central bleeding control in haemodynamically unstable patients with multiple injuries. Participants will acquire the theoretical and practical knowledge they need to perform this procedure
and will learn how to appropriately handle instruments relevant to the procedure.