ICRSF 2016’s Live Cutting-edge Surgeries and Gathering of World-leading Experts Means a Big Win for
The International Colorectal Surgery Forum (ICRSF) was established in 2010, and it is the only specialized and comprehensive annual gathering in Taiwan to bring together the world’s top surgeons and experts. It also offers in-depth symposiums and the latest information about the most advanced techniques in colorectal surgery.
Building on the success of previous forums, ICRSF 2016 once again provided tremendous opportunities for all participants—and in particular, health professionals— to discuss the latest practices in the field, as well as share information about a variety of minimally invasive and complex surgical procedures and a whole range of colorectal conditions and diseases. Highlights of this year’s forum included the live-broadcast of a 3-D surgery transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME), which was performed by the world’s leading authorities in rectal-cancer surgery, and an international symposium on “Women in Surgery.”
Recent major advances provided by surgical robots are allowing doctors to perform many types of complex procedures with more precision, flexibility, and control than was previously possible with conventional techniques. 3-D magnification, for example, has delivered improved ergonomics. In addition, minimally invasive techniques in colorectal surgery have been evolving quickly over the past two decades. TaTME, for instance, was developed as a combination of skills and technologies acquired from different minimal invasive approaches, such as transanal endoscopic microsurgery, transanal minimally invasive surgery, and natural orifices transluminal endoscopic surgery.
3-D taTME is done with meticulous precision and miniaturization. This surgery offers many benefits to patients, including a shorter procedure time, less pain, a quicker recovery, and so on.
“This surgery is performed primarily in patients requiring surgical resection for mid- and low-rectal cancer. It’s more suitable for male patients with a high BMI and a narrow pelvis,” said William Chen, the ICRSF chair.
In addition to the 3-D taTME demonstration by the renowned Antonio M. Lacy from Spain, other live-broadcast surgeries also included a robotic TME by Korean doctor Seon-Hahn Kim and a laparoscopic right colectomy by Taiwanese surgeons William Chen and Tao-Wei Ke. These live demonstrations were aired simultaneously on Advances In Surgery (AIS), an on-line channel that offers universal access to high-quality instructional content about surgery. ICRSF’s three live surgeries were definitely a golden opportunity for healthcare practitioners and professionals around the world to improve their skills and increase their knowledge.
To ensure an optimal learning experience, two-day symposiums were held on October 29-30, following the live demonstrations. Here, world-leading colorectal surgery experts, for example Steven Wexner from the USA, took the stage to share their expertise in insightful instructional presentations on the latest coloproctology developments. Topics covered included extensive investigative techniques, treatments, emergency services, and various difficult problems for the whole range of colorectal and perianal conditions and diseases.
ICRSF 2016 also placed an emphasis on “Women in Surgery.” “Long shifts, unpredictable hours, physically demanding work . . . Being a surgeon is not easy for anybody,” said the ICRSF chairman Chen. “It’s particularly daunting for women trying to juggle work with life. But female surgeons are just as tough as their male counterparts.”
In fact, a symposium is held every year at the ICRSF to discuss the issues and challenges confronting women in the changing, but still male-dominated, field of surgery and to share success stories and advice about breaking through the glass ceiling. Perhaps most importantly, this event highlights the progress and accomplishments of all women with a passion for excellence in surgical careers. In particular, the symposium provides an opportunity for surgical professionals and students to interact, exchange ideas, and formulate effective strategies for advancement, not to mention share inspirational stories about amazing women.
For more information, please visit: www.twicrsf.org
