Master of Laparoscopic Surgery

Master of Laparoscopic Surgery

Course Title

Master of Laparoscopic Surgery

MQF Level

7

Duration and Credits

6 Semesters

90 ECTS

Mode of Study

Part-time Evening

Information for International applicants

Applicants must be in possession of:

Refer to the list of country-specific qualifications

The Degree of Doctor of Medicine and Surgery or equivalent together with at least 3 years work experience in surgery. This experience should normally be obtained after applicants have been awarded the qualification of Doctor of Medicine and Surgery.

All applicants shall be required to submit with their application a letter written in English giving their motivation for applying for this Course together with a copy of their Curriculum Vitae (C.V.). Applicants shall further be requested to provide evidence that they are covered by a valid indemnity insurance policy throughout the duration of the Course.

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Applications for our February and October intakes have been officially open since the third week in November. You can submit your application online. The deadlines for submission of applications vary according to the intake and courses. We encourage all international applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible. This is especially important if you require a visa to travel and eventually stay in Malta.

You can compare your national qualifications to the local requirements by visiting our qualifications comparability webpage. Access more information about our admission process and English language requirements.

The University of Malta has student accommodation on campus called Campus Hub. Campus Hub is just a 2-minute walk from the main campus. For more information, visit the accommodation website.

Our dedicated team at the student recruitment office is here to support you every step of the way. From the moment you start your application to the moment when you receive your decision letter, we're here to assist you. If you have any questions or need further information, don't hesitate to reach out to us. You can contact us at info@um.edu.mt, and our team will be more than happy to help.

After you receive an offer from us, our International Office will assist you with visas, accommodation and other related issues.

This Masters Programme provides highly specialised and advanced theoretical clinical training in Laparoscopic Surgery. This course is offered on part-time basis over 6 semesters in 2 years. The 90 ECTS are distributed as follows:

36 ECTS taught study-units: Teaching except that of SUR5400 will be held at the University of Malta. SUR5400 will be held in Italy.

24 ECTS clinical study-units: This training in Laparoscopic Surgery will be offered by the Associazone Chirurghi Ospedalieri Italiani (ACOI) in highly specialised hospitals in Italy. (Costs of travel and accommodation are not included in the course fee.)

30 ECTS dissertation: A dissertation of approximately 25000 words will be supervised by an academic member of the University of Malta or one of the ACOI tutors depending on the subject area. However, the viva voce examination will be held in Malta.

 
Semester 1
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PHL5503 Research Methods 5 ECTS   (NC)  
SUR5601 Basic Surgical Anatomy 5 ECTS    
SUR5602 Applied Surgical Physiology and Critical Care 5 ECTS    

 
 
Semester 2
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
PAT5100 Infection Prevention & Control and Antibiotic Stewardship in Surgical Practice 5 ECTS    
SUR5603 Overview of Laparoscopic Surgery and Applied Physiology 5 ECTS    

 
 
Summer Period
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
SUR5400 Specific Laparoscopic Theoretical Training 6 ECTS    
SUR5604 Practical Laparoscopic Applications: Cadaver Training 5 ECTS    

 

 
Year   (This/these unit/s start/s in Semester 1 and continue/s in Semester 2)
 
Compulsory Units (All students must register for this/these unit/s)
 
SUR5407* Dissertation 30 ECTS    
 
Elective Units (Elective units are offered subject to availability, a minimum number of student registrations and time-table constraints)Students are required to choose 6 clinical study-units from the study-units indicated hereunder:
 
SUR5401* Hepatobiliary-Pancreatico-Splenic Surgery 4 ECTS    
SUR5402* Gastrointestinal and Colo-Rectal Surgery 4 ECTS    
SUR5403* Bariatric Surgery 4 ECTS    
SUR5404* Abdominal Wall Surgery 4 ECTS    
SUR5405* Endocrine Surgery 4 ECTS    
SUR5406* Robotic Surgery 4 ECTS    
SUR5409* Urogynaecological Surgery 4 ECTS    
SUR5410* Gynaecological Surgery 4 ECTS    
SUR5411* Tubo-Ovarian Surgery 4 ECTS    

 
*These study-units start in Semester 1 of Year Two and continue up to the end of the course.

This programme of study is governed by the General Regulations for University Postgraduate Awards, 2021 and by the Bye-Laws for the Degree of Master of Laparoscopic Surgery - M. Lap. Surg. -, under the auspices of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery.

Knowledge and Understanding

  • identify and analyse problems through skills like epidemiology and information technology, design of a study and analysis of the data, publishing oneҳ results
  • explain the basics of functional anatomy and physiology to prepare a Surgeon in training to be the safest s/he could be
  • develop an understanding of physiological principles as applied to surgical patients
  • discuss indications for laparoscopic surgery and appropriate techniques
  • explain principles and management of infection in surgical practice
  • explain the use of key antibiotics
  • transmit detailed and updated notions on the equipment and all the modern available laparoscopic instruments
  • use different equipment dedicated to laparoscopy: those for pneumoperitoneum, vision systems, all systems of coagulation and dissection (monopolar and bipolar, ultrasonic dissector, radio frequency) as well as the systems of irrigation-suction- hydrodissection
  • analyse the problems associated with the insertion of the trocars analysing all the methods to perform the procedure in extreme safety (safe port insertion)
  • demonstrate live surgical techniques of the several advanced laparoscopic interventions
  • discuss indications to mini-invasive approach
  • discuss the post-operative care of patients, including drains, intravenous fluids, patient mobilization
  • analyse the possible intraoperative and postoperative complications
  • discuss the possible intraoperative and postoperative complications
  • run a training programme on a simulator, as well as on cadavers through a cadaver lab that allows to develop good coordination between the gesture and vision, stressing the techniques of intra- and extracorporeal suture
  • write and present a dissertation

Skills

By the end of the course the student will be able to:

  • Hepatobiliary pancreatic and splenic surgery
  • Explain different approaches and potential risks to laparoscopic surgery
  • Identify surgical complications and infections including in laparoscopic surgery
  • Manage complications effectively
  • Perform a simple laparoscopic cholecystectomy
  • Perform a difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomy in emergency
  • Perform an intraoperative laparoscopic cholangiography
  • Perform a laparoscopic hepatic sonography
  • Perform a laparoscopic hepatic biopsy and simple metastasectomy
  • Perform a complete laparoscopic pancreatic exploration from the division of gastrocolic ligament to pancreatic sonography
  • Assist hands on all advanced hepato-bilio-pancreatic and splenic procedures

Gastrointestinal surgery

  • Perform every kind of appendectomy
  • Mobilize right and left colic flexure
  • Perform a simple adhesyolis
  • Suture of gastric valve during Nissen procedure
  • Perform a mechanical side-to side anastomosis

Bariatric surgery

  • Perform a Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy
  • Assist in Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass or other advanced bariatric procedures
  • Perform small bowel manipulation, section or anastomoses
  • Dissect, identify and close the required blood vessels
  • Insert trocars and instruments all the way to removing the organ

Abdominal wall surgery

  • Perform a simple laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair
  • Perform a simple laparoscopic ventral hernia repair

Endocrine surgery

  • Work on MIVAT and MIVAP (make the 3cm cervical incision, create the space, insert the mini-instruments)
  • Work on endoscopic/robotic transaxillary thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy
  • Perform a working space as first operator
  • Work on mini-invasive adrenalectomy (Insert the trocars, handle the camera during the procedures, clip and section the adrenal vein, perform the final dissection of the adrenal gland)

Robotic surgery

  • Become familiar with the function of the da Vinci Surgical System
  • Do proper docking during robotic surgery
  • Become familiar with the technique of robotic surgery intracorporeal suturing and knot tying
  • Learn robotic tissue dissection techniques using monopolar bipolar, harmonic and radiofrequency energy

Urogynaecological Surgery

  • Assist in Laparoscopic Sacrohysteropexy;
  • Assist in Cervicopectopexy
  • Assist in Sacrocolpopexy
  • Assist in Laparoscopic Paravaginal repair with the opportunity to interact with experts

Gynaecological Surgery

  • Assess the peritoneal cavity including ureteric visualization
  • Demonstrate safe tissue handling with laparoscopic instruments, sharp and blunt dissection
  • Demonstrate correct use of tissue retrieval techniques
  • Demonstrate laparoscopic suturing
  • Demonstrate skills in diagnostic laparoscopic in gynaecology procedures
  • Demonstrate skills in Laparoscopic hysterectomy
  • Demonstrate skills in Laparoscopic Vaginal hysterectomy
  • Demonstrate skills in Laparoscopic Pelvic Floor Repair
  • Demonstrate experience at Laparoscopic adhesiolysis
  • Laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) and excisional surgery for AFS score endometriosis
  • Demonstrate the ability to carry out a total laparoscopic hysterectomy, laparoscopic Burch and laparoscopic myomectomy
  • Demonstrate the ability to perform a laparoscopic pelvic floor repair, AFS endometriosis surgery
  • Perform excisional surgery and not ablation
  • Perform Laparoscopic removal of residual ovaries with significant distortion of the anatomy
  • Perform Laparoscopic oncological procedures such as laparoscopic pelvic lymph node and para-aortic lymph node dissection and radical hysterectomy

Tubo-Ovarian Surgery

  • Decide on how to treat endometriosis and adhesions laparoscopically
  • Identify tubal pregnancy risks
  • Decide on whether and when to treat tubal pregnancy risks laparoscopically
  • Identify Ovarian cyst and polycystic ovary syndrome
  • Assess how to treat ovarian cyst and polycystic ovary syndrome laparoscopically
  • Identify common tubo-Ovarian laparoscopic errors, risks and complications
  • Assist in adhesiolysis
  • Assist in ovarian cystectomy and oophorectomy
  • Assist in excision and ablation of peritoneal endometriosis and ovarian endometrioma
  • Assist in laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy and laparoscopic hysterectomy
  • Assist in tubal ligation, simple cyst aspiration, simple adhesiolysis, and/or ablation of minor stage (AFS III) endometriosis before performing unsupervised surgery
  • Assist in Laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy and oophorectomy when there is normal anatomy. Laparascopic salpingotomy or salpingectomy for the treatment of ectopic pregnancy.

Non EU Applicants:

Total Tuition Fees: Eur 25,000

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The aim of this programme is to give students an extensive training in various aspects of Laparoscopic Surgery. This would help them to develop their Laparoscopic Training Skills within the parameters of an academic background. Students who follow this course will be better trained in Laparoscopic Surgery and this will open career opportunities in the various sub-specialties of Surgery.

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https://www.um.edu.mt/courses/overview/pmlpspet6-2023-4-o/