SIUT is a 1200 bedded medical institution and has a comprehensive facility pertaining to urology, nephrology, transplantation and GI surgery. There are separate units for Pediatric urology and surgical uro-oncology. SIUT’s reach in the country and in the region is exemplary as it has treated over one million patients in the year 2017. It has nine centers functioning across the country. It is actively involved in the teaching and training of undergraduate and postgraduate medical students, nurses and medical technologists. We have trained surgical fellows from Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Somalia and Sudan in General Urology and Transplantation
In urological practice Minimally Invasive Surgery (Endoscopy, Laparoscopy and Robotics) provides access to the urinary tract and associated organs for diagnostic, ablative and reconstructive procedures.
The Benefits of minimally invasive surgery are less chance of infection, a quicker recovery time and shorter hospital stay. There is less operating trauma but operating time is longer. It causes less pain, minute scar and reduces the incidence of post surgical complications such as adhesions. The shortening of hospitalization time has led to increasing use of outpatient laparoscopic surgery. A large number of patients can avail this procedure in a given period of time. It is now used around the world and in all major surgical fields compelling changes in training programs in order to assure quality control and patient safety.
MIS is the way forward. There exists a gap between our region and the rest of the world not only in acquiring and adapting the technological advances but also in delivering them to a common man on a large scale. If at all these advances are present they are accessible and are being afforded by a very small segment of the population in big cities. SIUT can take a lead in this regard. It can bridge this gap by devising a framework for teaching and training. The advantage that we have is the volume of patients to work with that are necessary to train and to excel.
The training of surgeons is of utmost importance. We have devised training program which is structured and at par with the International standards. The Skills Acquisition is in three phases. Phase I is the Dry Lab, Phase II is the Wet Lab and Phase III is the Human interface (Operating Room). The Dry Lab comprises of Low fidelity and High fidelity Simulators. These Simulated Platforms are dedicated for Surgery (Urology and general Surgery) Medicine (GI, Cardiology) and Anesthesia/Intensive care. A trainee has to work through these phases and attain competence in terms of practice hours (eg, 20 hours on Endotrainer etc). The surgical skills curriculum is formulated to cover Open surgical as well as Minimally Invasive surgical platforms (Endourology, Laparoscopy and Robotics). The future holds promise with emergence of robotics, 3D vision and articulated instruments.
At present we have a Skills Lab in our Simulation center which has a fully operational Training program that imparts training to Post graduate Residents in Urology, General surgery, GI, cardiology and Vascular surgery.