Department of Surgery

MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY WORKSHOPS

The Minimally Invasive Surgery Lab is providing the framework for a number of workshops that are drawing attendants from around the country. Attendees from as far as Connecticut and California travel to UK to learn about some of the latest techniques and material from two of our minimally invasive surgeons.

Dr. Scott Roth, the Director of Minimally Invasive Surgery and Associate Professor of Surgery, demonstrates techniques in hernia repair with mesh and absorbable tacks from the bioengineering company called Davol Inc. Dr. David Vargas, who is also an Associate Professor and Section Head of Colorectal Surgery, uses a hand port manufactured by Applied Medical Inc. to demonstrate hand-assisted laparoscopic procedures.

In the comfort of the luxurious MIS Lab conference room, situated on the ground floor of the Nursing Building, attendees view the operation and can communicate with the surgeons in the operating room. The conference room is equipped with a high-tech Stryker communication system that ties the lab to Chandler Medical Center Operating Rooms 8, 9, and 10. There is an overhead camera that provides views of port placement and the OR configuration. There is also a camera that the surgeon uses to navigate around internal organs. The workshop attendees have the same view as the surgeon with this internal camera. There is 2-way, audio-visual communication capability between the surgeon and workshop attendees through a fiber optic connection that runs between Chandler Medical Center and the Nursing Building. Therefore, questions can be asked and techniques can be articulated in real time. After the procedure is completed, the surgeon returns to the conference room to field more questions and conclude the workshop.

Dr. Roth will be guiding approximately 8 workshops in hernia repair this year while Dr. Vargas is leading 3-4 seminars on hand-assisted laparoscopy.