This year’s CX Training Village will host a selection of hands-on endovascular and laprascopic training opportunities for both surgeons and trainees, as well as offer the chance to experience TeraRecon’s unique imaging applications. This popular all-day event will run throughout the conference and will take place in the Exhibition Hall. Participating companies include: Karl Storz, Mentice, TeraRecon and Simbionix.
TeraRecon
TeraRecon is an imaging technology company that develops, markets and supports systems and subsystems for professional imaging applications, with special emphasis on medical imaging. TeraRecon’s Aquarius suite of 3D imaging applications provides streamlined tools for vascular analysis and endovascular intervention planning, including fenestrated and branch designs for juxta-renal or trans-renal aneurysms.
At the CX Training Village, TeraRecon’s clinical people will be demonstrating advanced clinical application modules using Aquarius solutions, such as cardiac CT and MR analysis, time-density analysis (contrast-perfused blood enhancement of the brain), virtual colonoscopy, time-volume analysis (left ventricle ejection fraction), vessel analysis, calcium scoring, and breast imaging.
TeraRecon’s Aquarius system is equipped with fast and intuitive tools for measuring the aorta and its various branches, with built-in workflows to streamline the selection of graft components and to provide confidence in vascular surgeon’s understanding of endovascular intervention cases they work on. The system rapidly extracts centerlines from CTA or MRA data, and provides relevant measurements in seconds, with full operator control. Standard and customised worksheets and reports can be automatically generated as part of the process.
It is also very well equipped to deal with not only infrarenal AAA graft planning, but also TAA graft planning and fenestrated/branch graft planning, with tools available that can describe the locations and sizes of the Celiac, SMA and renal arteries in minutes.
Overall, the system incorporates streamlined tools for vascular analysis and endovascular intervention planning, and advanced planning tools for infrarenal or fenestrated grafts.
The company’s unique AquariusNET 3D processing server allows interactive 3D models and reports to be distributed throughout the enterprise. The Aquarius range of 3D products have achieved global market acceptance for maximising the utility of MDCT, MR and other medical imaging data throughout an enterprise using a central 3D processing server, delivering real-time interactive 3D imaging to networked PCs running the AquariusNET thin-client application.
The use of advanced 3D planning tools using Aquarius solutions from TeraRecon will help radiologists and vascular surgeons perform extensive image manipulation and interpretation, to create accurate stent graft measurements needed for complex endovascular procedures. For more information, please visit: www.terarecon.com.
Mentice
The Procedicus VIST state-of-the-art vascular interventional simulator from Mentice is independently recognised as the most realistic, as it uses scans from patients and allows complete procedures to be performed using genuine tools from all major device companies. Carotid, coronary, renal, SFA/Iliac, cardiology and neurointerventional modules are available providing over 80 patient cases.
The simulator can be used to teach at many levels including:
All procedure modules include validated metrics. The metrics allow trainers and trainees to monitor improvement and focus effort on areas which require attention. They can also be used for examination and certification. Such objective measurement and reporting is invaluable, and could also be incorporated into a risk management initiative.
Throughout the conference Procedicus VIST simulator will be available for delegates to perform interventional procedures. Relevant to peripheral vascular intervention, the renal, iliac and carotid modules will be loaded.
Mentice is continuing with a range of hardware and software developments to ensure that its systems keep abreast of the changes in devices and procedures in the vascular interventional arena. Modules for transseptal puncture, vena cava filter and neurointerventional coil and stent have already been released for specific customers on the Procedicus VIST simulator, and uterine fibroid embolisation should be completed by the end of quarter two 2007. Mentice has also developed a new simulator for simultaneous double wire technique for bifurcation coronary artery intervention.
Over the next 24 months, Mentice are committed to working with the professional associations and societies in the UK, Europe, USA and Asian Pacific. It is the company’s aim to enhance the educational modules available to trainees and to ensure that they are fully compliant with the curriculum and certification requirement of these societies.
The next two years promises to be challenging, exciting and exacting, and Mentice look forwards to advancing the quality, content and usability of its simulators in line with its mission – improving patient safety.
During the Charing Cross Symposium congress, the research team of Imperial College St Mary’s Hospital of Professors Nick Cheshire and Sir Ara Darzi in close collaboration with Professors Peter Gaines and Frank Vermassen will be conducting a study on the use of the VIST simulator in training for carotid stenting. The aim is to evaluate the use of a simulated environment for assessment of technical and team performance during a carotid artery stent procedure and how the technical and non-technical performance is affected by changing a team member.
The research group are keen to include all endovascular physicians who will be attending this Charing Cross meeting. If you are able to assist, please let Isabelle Van Herzeele (mobile: +44 [0] 7789276037 and e-mail: [email protected]) know what day and what time during the conference would be most convenient for you as an expert to perform two simulated carotid stenting procedures. She will then ensure that the simulator and an interventional team is ready for you. The simulator will be running daily 9am-6pm in the Training Village at the Mentice stand.
The protocol for this research has been designed exclusively by Imperial College and Mentice has no influence on the collection or reporting of the data, or any of the conclusions drawn and presented. For further information, visit: www.mentice.com.
Simbionix
At the Training Village, Simbionix will demonstrate robust and validated education and assessment products that offer clinicians the most realistic, reliable, comprehensive and safe platform to learn, study and practice pre-operational procedures.
Established in 1997 by a small group of individuals with a multi-disciplinary background in marketing, software programming and 3-D graphics, the company developed the GI Mentor, the industry’s first computer-based simulator for training endoscopic procedures skills.
Since then, Simbionix has successfully launched a complete line of medical simulators, which provide medical professionals with hands-on training in a comprehensive array of minimally invasive.
Surgery procedures; the URO Mentor – the industry’s only simulator for Endourology procedures, the PERC Mentor for percutaneous access procedures, the LAP Mentor – a multi-disciplinary simulator for laparoscopic skills and surgery procedures, and the ANGIO Mentor, a multi-disciplinary simulator that provides hands-on practice in an extensive and complete simulated environment of interventional endovascular procedures.
Led by an experienced management team, Simbionix combines innovative R&D, solid technology and manufacturing, strong clinical relationships, professional sales and marketing and dedicated customer support. Simbionix continues to extend its leadership in the field of simulation-based medical training and education.
Simbionix simulation products have been validated in several scientific studies and the company cooperates closely with both industry and leading medical institutions such as the Cleveland Clinic, the Mayo Clinic and other international institutions to develop the most advanced simulators for the training and assessment of medical professionals.
Recognising the ongoing trends in the certification of clinicians in a range of increasingly complex MIS procedures, Simbionix has recently acquired eTrinsic, a leader in Education Content development.
Together with the Mentor Platforms, Simbionix will provide a complete solution for the training and certification of physicians in advanced surgery skills in a safe and controlled environment, increasing patient safety and procedure efficiency.
The company continues to improve its products by maintaining close collaboration with its professional users, aiming at extending existing systems capabilities with new skills and procedures. For further information please visit: www.simbionix.com.
Karl Storz
karl Storz will have workstations set-up at the Training Village for delegates to have the opportunity to ‘test’ their laparoscopic skills. The company welcomes participants to train the laparoscopic anastomosis. Visit www.karlstorz.com for more information.
