Faculty: Marcello Ceccaroni, Sarah Choi, Shanti I. Mohling, Shailesh P. Puntambekar, Giovanni Roviglione

Description: Following the principles taught in the International School of Surgical Anatomy-(ISSA), this hands-on cadaveric course will provide a step-by-step surgical approach to the pelvic viscera, retroperitoneal avascular spaces and pelvic ureters. Emphasis will be put upon identifying anatomical landmarks, including surgical principles and techniques to enter the retroperitoneal avascular spaces. Instruction on techniques for gentle tissue handling to avoid bleeding, proper traction, counter-traction, sharp and blunt dissections while preventing vascular, urinary, bowel and nervous complications. Special care will be given to nerve-sparing techniques during laparoscopic dissection, with demonstration of main pathways of visceral and somatic pelvic innervation. This course includes cadaveric specimen with intact uteri and cervix using laparoscopic instrumentation.

Learning Objectives: At the end of this course, the participant will be able to:

1. Objective Recognize the anatomical landmarks and major pelvic structures pertinent to gynecologic laparoscopy and retroperitoneal dissection
2. Objective Apply laparoscopic surgical techniques to enter and expose the avascular spaces of the pelvis, parametrial ligaments, nerves and pelvic vasculature and their relations to the ureter and intraperitoneal structures
3. Objective Illustrate the step-by step dissection of the pelvic ureter and pelvic-nerves related to the different gynecological procedures and nerve-sparing techniques for gynecologic cancers and endometriosis surgery

Course Outline

12:15 PM TBD 16

M. Ceccaroni

12:40 PM TBD 17

S. Choi

1:05 PM TBD 19

S. Mohling

1:30 PM TBD 21

S. Puntambekar

1:55 PM TBD 23

G. Roviglione