UKZN to develop an advanced endoscopic laboratory
University of KwaZulu-Natal Picture: Supplied
The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has received a R4 Million sponsorship from a leading endoscope manufacturer, Karl Storz Endoscopy to fund the development of a state-of-the-art endoscopic laboratory for the UKZN Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
The Karl Storz company is a global manufacturer and distributor of endoscopes, medical instruments and devices, and is a giant on an international scale.
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UKZN academic and consultant and Head of the Gynaecological Endoscopy Unit at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital and Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, Dr Suran Ramphal has played a pivotal role in securing the sponsorship.
The unit will use the lab to train registrars and consultants in gynaecological endoscopy and prepare them for challenges in the operating theatre.
In particular, the laboratory will provide training on minimal access surgery (keyhole surgery), which has come to the fore in recent years and is viewed as a superior alternative to open surgery for many gynaecological procedures.
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Ramphal says that this surgical intervention is associated with cosmetic advantages (smaller surgical scars), faster recovery time and return to normal activities, “less analgesic use and quicker return to work will benefit our patients and community at large.”
He says that there is a steep learning curve to mastering this surgical intervention and that doctors need to have laboratory training to master didactic techniques and suturing skills before operating on patients.
