3rd Heart Research UK Masterclass in Cardiothoracic Organ Retrieval, Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support
This 2-day Masterclass was led by Marius Berman MD, FRCS (CTh), Consultant Cardiothoracic & Transplant Surgeon, Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge.
The Masterclass marked the 45th anniversary since the UK’s first successful heart transplant surgery at Royal Papworth Hospital, which revolutionised heart transplantation in the country. Following successful transplant surgery in 1979, Sir Terrance English secured funding from Heart Research UK for the following six transplant surgeries at Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge.
The Masterclass took place at the new Cambridge Training Surgical Centre, which provides world class facilities for medical education. We were delighted to be joined by 46 delegates for this course.
Cardiothoracic organ retrieval and transplantation is an area of sub-specialisation uncommonly encountered by the majority of surgeons. This course enabled senior trainees and junior consultants to master traditional methods and practice the newest and safest techniques in heart retrieval and transplantation.
This Masterclass, and associated learning, aimed to enhance proficiency in working as a team in organ retrieval and it covered:
- heart and lung transplantation techniques in an era of complex recipients
- en bloc Heart-lung transplantation
- immediate post-transplant support techniques in case of primary graft failure
- short and long term mechanical support implant techniques
The course was aimed at Consultant Cardiac Surgeons within their first 2-3 years of appointment and senior trainees in cardiac surgery. Delegates had access to an online version of this course to help them prepare in advance of the session, and for revision and review after the session.
This year we also targeted junior trainees at the beginning of their career in order for them to explore a future career in transplantation. In addition, for the first time, we had 3 scrub nurses as faculty and an additional 8 as delegates. They were all fully integrated in the 2 days hands-on sessions and the feedback was superb. Our future plans for this masterclass include expanding the nurses scrub session in order to have a full team perspective in training.
Our international faculty consisted of colleagues from Los Angeles, Strasbourg, and the UK – Birmingham, Manchester, Harefield and Papworth.
We would like to thank our three sponsors, Custodial, XVIVO and TransMedics who generously contributed towards funding this masterclass.
This course was accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons of England and endorsed by the European Society for Organ Transplantation (ESOT).
So far, 112 delegates from across the UK have benefitted from training at our three Cardiothoracic Organ Retrieval, Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support masterclasses and we hope the skills learned will help surgeons to save more lives across the UK. We are delighted with the excellent feedback received for this masterclass.
