Philip Lhermette BSc (Hons) CBiol MIBiol BVet Med MRCVS

Philip graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 1982. He has pioneered many minimally invasive techniques including laparoscopic ovariohysterectomy and laser endosurgery in the UK and currently runs an endoscopy referral service in Sevenoaks, Kent. He lectures extensively in the UK and USA and is Special Lecturer in Veterinary Endoscopy at the University of Nottingham Veterinary School. He is co-editor and author of the BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Endoscopy and Endosurgery.

Minimally invasive surgery has transformed the way surgical procedures have been performed on humans over the past twenty years and it is becoming increasingly uncommon for human surgeons to have to resort to open techniques. Veterinary surgery is treading the same route with many clinics now performing many or all of their bitch spays laparoscopically. The benefits are self evident and the procedure is well received, indeed sought out, by clients.

Many clinics already own flexible endoscopy equipment and thus have much of the basic equipment (light source, suction, camera, monitor etc) necessary for rigid endoscopy and laparoscopy. Additional equipment and training, and therefore expense, is required to perform laparoscopy. However no-one does liver biopsies on a daily basis and this expense must be justified.

Most surgeons starting laparoscopy would consider the bitch spay as the core procedure and main reason for investing in the equipment. After all it is a routine procedure that we all do on an almost daily basis and will therefore bring in the revenue to pay for the equipment as well as providing sufficient practice to keep their hand in so they can do other, more advanced techniques and expand their repertoire.

Who should attend

Surgeons with no or minimal experience in laparoscopy who wish to maximise their investment in equipment and improve their skills in laparoscopy to enable them to perform more complex procedures.

What the course will help the attendees to do

The course will teach attendees to perform routine laparoscopic examination of the abdomen including routine ovariectomy and ovariohysterectomy

Key Learning Objectives

By the end of this course delegates should have a thorough understanding of:

• Equipment required for laparoscopy

• Instrument handling techniques

• Basic laparoscopic principles

• Principles of electrosurgery and haemostasis

• Laparoscopic ovariectomy

• Laparoscopic ovariohysterectomy