Through The Keyhole: Recent Episodes
Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland
Putting innovation technology and training and the heart of modern surgery. Podcast series from the Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland.Show email:Hello@ttkpodcast.com
In this episode Lydia and Lucy are joined again by Mr Mohamed Aly, Consultant Upper GI Surgeon at The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in northwest London along with Mr Alan ASKARI, Consultant Surgeon in Bariatric, Upper GI, & General Surgery at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Their conversation covers various aspects of surgical training, including the balance between competency-based learning and meeting numerical targets, the challenges of the current training system and strategies for trainees to make the most of their learning experiences.
To get in touch with the show, please email hello@ttkpodcast.com or use twitter handle @ALSGBI_podcast
In this episode Lydia and Lucy are joined by Mr Mohamed Aly, Consultant Upper GI Surgeon at The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in northwest London. They discuss his passion for quality improvement (QI) in surgical training and his journey from conducting patient surveys in medical school in Egypt to spearheading national collaborative audits in the UK. He emphasises the importance of believing in one's projects to motivate others and the necessity of knowing when to accept and move on from ideas that aren't progressing. They also touch on practical aspects of QI, such as developing patient surveys, navigating ethical approvals and leveraging IT systems like SharePoint to manage data.
To get in touch with the show, please email hello@ttkpodcast.com or use twitter handle @ALSGBI_podcast
In this episode, hosts Lucy and Lydia chat with their colleague Mr Mark Halls, a Consultant Upper GI Surgeon, North Bristol NHS Trust. Mark shares insights into balancing exercise with a busy surgical career, detailing his journey from playing rugby to long-distance triathlons. He discusses the challenges of fitting exercise around surgical training, offers advice for incorporating fitness into daily routines and emphasises the mental health benefits of outdoor exercise.
To get in touch with the show, please email hello@ttkpodcast.com or use twitter handle @ALSGBI_podcast
In this podcast episode, Mr Dimitri Pournaras, a consultant and bariatric surgeon at North Bristol Trust, discusses his journey into medicine and his experiences with bariatric surgery. He shares insights into the physiological aspects of obesity, the mechanisms behind surgeries like gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy, and how these procedures impact hunger hormones and brain signalling. He also emphasises the importance of listening to patients and explains how bariatric surgery goes beyond mere mechanical alterations, influencing the body's physiological responses to food intake.
To get in touch with the show, please email hello@ttkpodcast.com or use twitter handle @ALSGBI_podcast
Lucy Huppler and Lydia Newton recap series three of the TTK podcast and look forward to what's in store for series four of the Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons GBI podcast.
To get in touch with the show, please email hello@ttkpodcast.com or use twitter handle @ALSGBI_podcast
In this second episode with guests Mr Simon Higgs and Mr Steve Hornby, Lucy and Lydia delve further into robotic surgery at Gloucester Royal Hospital. They discuss the training process for robotic surgery, recalling their first cases and the challenges they faced. The conversation also touches on patient experiences, press coverage of significant surgeries and the future of robotics in surgery.
To get in touch with the show, please email hello@ttkpodcast.com or use twitter handle @ALSGBI_podcast
In the first of two podcast episodes with Mr Simon Higgs and Mr Steve Hornby, consultant surgeons at Gloucester Royal Hospital, Lucy and Lydia discuss the hospital's pioneering use of robotics in surgical procedures, particularly in upper gastrointestinal surgeries. They detail the hospital's journey in adopting robotic technology, emphasising evidence-based practice, patient safety and careful progression in training and implementation. They also highlight the collaborative team effort and the challenges and opportunities for trainees in integrating robotics into surgical training.
Lucy and Lydia are joined by Mr James Coulson, consultant vascular surgeon at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton. James explores the role of non-technical skills and the importance of human factors, teamwork and training in successful surgical outcomes.
Lucy and Lydia are joined in conversation with Siya Lodhia, a surgical registrar focused on sustainability in surgery. They explore the environmental impact of operating theatres and the challenges of implementing sustainable practices. Siya shares insights from her research project on staff attitudes and adopting a sustainability checklist in colorectal theatres. The discussion covers green practices, the Intercollegiate Green Theatre Checklist, and the importance of hospital leadership in prioritising sustainability. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation on sustainability in surgery with Lucy, Lydia, and Siya.
Lucy and Lydia catch up with Stella Dilke, a friend from medical school, and discuss what it is like to undertake a fellowship at St Marks Hospital in London, parenthood challenges, and what makes an inspiring mentor.
Stella is a general surgical registrar in London with an enthusiastic approach to all things colorectal and all things life.
In this extended episode, Lucy and Lydia are joined by Dan Stoyanov, Professor of Robot Vision from UCL and director of research at Medtronic. They discuss the growth of robotics within medicine, the intersection of AI, robotics and engineering and what the changing paradigm means for surgeons of the future.
In this episode, Lucy and Lydia are joined by mr Matthew Doe who reflects on his international surgical work in Nepal and Kenya. They discuss some of the challenges of surgery in middle income countries and the impact of ambulance services in terms of patient outcomes.
Lucy and Lydia catch up with consultant surgeon Michele Lucaretti from Gloucester as she approaches retirement. They reflect on her career as a female consultant general surgeon when the norm was heavily toward male surgeons . Michele maintains her enthusiasm for the profession despite the challenges and offers some fantastic tips for longevity as a surgeon in the process.
Lydua and Lucy are joined by Professor Giles Toogood, Chief Investigator, Consultant Surgeon, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Prof Toogood explains the goals and breadth of the Sunflower Study - a large RCT looking at the clinical and cost-effectiveness of expectant management versus preoperative imaging with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy at low or moderate risk of common bile duct stones.
Lucy Huppler and Lydia Newton review series two of the TTK podcast and look forward to what's in store for series three of the Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons GBI podcast.
To get in touch with the show, please email hello@ttkpodcast.com or use twitter handle @ALSGBI_podcast
Continuing the approach from previous TTK episode, Hamish Mackenzie talks with participants of the ALSGBI scientific meeting. Topics include; the power of group feedback un the form of Schwartz rounds, the challenges of continuing training as an early years consultant, the growth of robotics and the need basic skills across the sector and a preview of the next ALSGBI meeting in Portsmouth with Professor Jim Khan.
Hamish Mackenzie from Digital Resilience UK steps in for the normal presenting team to capture a series of conversations from around the 2022 ALSGBI scientific meeting. The focus of the conversations is surgical education and training and the role of technology in improving practice. In the initial episode, Hamish is joined by Dr Jordan Tsigarides (who delivers 2022 ALSGBI lecture on immersive education), Professor Mike Parker, Inovus Medical, Arthrex training and East of England trainee surgeons.
Tan is joined by Tamsin Morrison to preview the 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons GBI
Tan is joined by Classic FM's prime-time DJ, John Brunning. The cover the power of music and its effect on concentration, team dynamics, healing and personal relaxation.
Tan and Lucy are joined by Professor Nadir Francis, a consultant colorectal surgeon and with a significant body of research work. They discuss some of the challenges of continue to publish research from a regional location away from the major academic institutions and reflect on the importance of engaging with research and ongoing training throughout a surgical career.
Consultant Surgeon Meg Finch-Jones joins Lucy and Tan to reflect on her career in HPV surgery. They discuss her own journey into this area of surgery and some of the unique challenges of the specialism. They consider the evolution of role, the importance of coaching younger trainees, and the job satisfaction from complex surgery.
In the second episode with Ex England Cricket Captain, Graham Gooch, Tan discusses the challenges of team management and how to get the best from others. They also discuss the transition when senior professionals step back from front line services and the pleasure in develop the skills of coaching and training others.
In the first of two episodes, former England cricket captain Graham Gooch joins Tan to discuss elite performance and getting the best from teams. They discuss attitude, coaching, commitment, skill, feedback, concentration and reducing complications.
Lucy and Lydia talk with Mr Justin Morgan, a consultant general and transplant surgeon at Southmead Hospital in Bristol.
Justin reflects on his early career as a general surgeon before discussing the benefits of specialism and his particular interest endocrine and transplant surgery. They also discuss his wider interest in medical education and his role as the Dean of the North Bristol Academy for the University of Bristol.
Kat is a Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at Oxford University Hospital. Lydia, Tan and Kat discuss the process of finding a first role as a consultant and the benefit experience beyond training. Kat reflects on the benefit she drew from an overseas surgical fellowship in Australia and her period in non-clinical research positions. They also discuss the balance and stamina needed to start a family whilst continuing to progress in specialist training.
Lydia and Lucy talk with Mr Andrea Saracino (Consultant Colorectal Surgeon Yeovil District Hospital) as he finishes his training and begins his first day as a consultant surgeon. They contrast training experiences in UK and Italy and the challenge of getting surgical training time and some of the cultural and language barriers.
In this episode Lydia and Tan talk with Mr Saxon Connor, an HPB surgeon from Christchurch, New Zealand. They discuss some of importance of team work in surgical teams before focusing specifically to the challenges surrounding crisis trauma events such as the earthquake and terrorist events that Christchurch suffered in the past decade.
Prof Tan is joined by Dr. Jordan Tsigarides, an Academic Clinical Fellow based at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) and Norwich Medical School. Jordan is the VR lead for the NNUH and is responsible for the development of multiple educational programmes utilising immersive technologies. They discuss the role of augmented and virtual technology in ongoing professional training and the potential of the technology for cost-effective simulation based learning.
Tan and Lucy are joined by Professor Dr April Roslani, Dean of the University of Malaya. Professor April reflects on the her journey of training and the broader challenges of surgical training, both historically and in contemporary circumstances. She reflects on the evolving medical curricula and structure that medical trainees follow.
Lucy and April contrast the challenges of surgical training in Malaysia and the UK, with the issue of the time needed to train to a sub-speciality consultant level. They discuss the importance of coaching relationships with seniors and some of the considerations of being a woman in a male dominated field.
Tan is joined by Dr Paul Barrack from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. They discuss the challenges of managing complex systems and how keeping the guiding principles of patient safety, high quality of care, staff satisfaction and financial sustainability central. They discuss the central importance of ongoing training and learning from other complex industries . The look at challenges and culture around admitting mistakes and the importance of addressing human factors in order to drive continual improvement.
For the new series of Through the Keyhole, Prof Tan is joined by Dr Lucy Huppler and Dr Lydia Newton to consider the path of a trainee surgeon and the challenge of life balance in the early years as a doctor . They discuss their broader interests and the impact that elective-year travel had on their training and perspective. Lucy and Lydia will be supporting series 2 as guest presenters to bring their perspective of surgery at the start of a career.
In this episode, returning guest Neil Smart discusses some of the challenges and considerations surrounding laparoscopic hernia repair. They look at the holistic approaches, patient outcomes and some of the controversies concerning the use of surgical mesh.
Tan is joined by Dr Chantelle Rizan from the centre of sustainable healthcare for this episode where they look at the breadth of issues when considering the environmental impact of surgery and healthcare. They look at practical steps and discuss the importance of leadership at all levels in order to increase sustainability.
Chantelle Rizan is a Surgical Research Fellow at the Royal College of Surgeons of England and Sustainable Surgery Fellow at the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare. The Fellowship enabled her to study for a PhD at Brighton & Sussex Medical School, using carbon footprinting and life cycle assessment methods to identify carbon hotspots within the operating theatre, and to evaluate alternative products and processes with lower environmental impact. Chantelle seeks to translate her research into practice and to influence policy as a founding member of the RCSEng Sustainability in Surgery working group, and is working with the UK Health and Climate Change Alliance as an academic advisor on a national report on how to meet Net Zero Carbon within surgery
In this episode, Tan and Clare discuss some of the difficult issues around mental health among medical professionals, and how to navigate turbulent times in a medical career.
Dr Clare Gerada has been a medical practitioner since 1982. Having first trained in psychiatry she became a GP in 1992, and has worked in the same practice ever since. She has been heading up a groundbreaking service for sick doctors (practitioner-patients) since 2008 which has rapidly become an international leader. Between 2010-2013 she led the Royal College of General Practitioners, the largest of all the of Royal Colleges, and only the second women to hold this Office in its history. She has since been re-elected to the role
In this episode, Tan talks with Peter Sedman about the highs and lows of a surgical career and some of the lessons they have both learned. Within the conversation, life hacks are discussed and Peter shares his tips for trainees starting out on a career in surgery.
Neil joins Tan to discuss the challenges and opportunities around publishing research in an era of Covid and digital acceleration. Neil is a Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital and Honorary Associate Professor at University of Exeter Medical School. Neil is also Editor in Chief of the Colorectal Disease Journal.
Tan discusses the development and impact of robotic-assisted surgery with Mr Chelliah Selvasekar, Consultant Colorectal and Laparoscopic Surgeon at The Christie Hospital and council member of ALSGBI. They explore some of the issues of data governance and training and suggest possible ways that current barriers may be overcome.
Mr Ian Beckingham joins Tan for a discussion on laparoscopic cholecystectomy and how to cope with the challenges of error.
Ian is a consultant surgeon at Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham.
In this extended episode, Tan is joined by Ben Tipney to discuss performance and error. Ben is a former international athlete with the Great Britain rowing team and holds a degree in Leadership & Sports Psychology. He runs Med-Led, a company that optimises individual, team and organisational performance.
Dr. Tamsin Morrison joins Tan to discuss how diversity and inclusivity are core attributes of successful teams and how embracing a breadth of experiences improves health outcomes. They narrow the broad societal debates on diversity down to its impact within surgical teams and reflect on the value of cognitive diversity.
Tan and Hamish explore some of the challenges and opportunities that have arisen in education as a result of the pandemic year. They explore how digital tools can be applied to surgical training to boost the experience of trainees. They discuss the modes of learning that can be ported between the educational and medical sectors. Dr Tamsin Morrison joins the conversation to reflect a surgical trainee's perspective on training in the lockdown year.
In this episode, Tan talks with Suviraj John, Senior Consultant Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgeon at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi. They discuss training programmes in the UK and India, and the common challenges of training for risk management, leadership and communication skills. They consider the value of experience and how hard-won knowledge can be passed on effective. They look at the traits of successful surgical teams and what can be learned from non-medical sectors.
Don Menzies and Tan discuss the growth of laparoscopic surgery techniques from the mid-90s and the extent to which radical approaches from 25 years ago are now common place across the world. They touch on the development of APLS as an organisation and discuss the challenges of aerosolisation in Covid19 theatre landscapes.
Podcast Series from the Association of Laparoscopic Surgeons introduced by Professor Tan Arulampalan