I attended the 5 day course "Microsurgery techniques and radio-telemetry" in September 2005 and the course surpassed my expectations. It is a very professionally run course with a nice balance between theory and practice with the focus on the practical work. The ratio of highly enthusiastic instructors/teachers to participants are high which ensures high level of individual training. The course also allows individual curriculum for each participant so that each person can focus on the, for him or her, important aspects of microsurgery (vascular suturing, catheterizations of various vessels or ducts). As a comparative physiologist I do not normally work with mammalian models as used in this course but it does not matter since both the theoretical and practical parts can be directly or partially used in any other animal models. I recommend this course for anybody that need skills in microsurgery and basic knowledge in implantation of telemetric devices, it will improve the skills and the success of surgery and in the end the scientific results of studies involving animal models.

Michael Axelsson
Professor in Integrative Comparative Physiology
Göteborg University

I had a great 3 days on the course and learned a lot. I would really hope to be able to come for the microsurgery course at some point in the future.

Alan McCarthy

Course was fantastic really useful. The facilities in Lelystad were first class - 16 set ups and a projected teaching scope in a dedicated building- very impressive.

Best wishes
Paul Taylor

As part of my ECLAM traineeship I participated in the course “ Experimental microsurgical and telemetry techniques” at the IMTC in Lelystad. In my opinion this course offers a very nice overview of some of the most used microsurgical techniques in laboratory animal science. Anyone attending this course should prepare for a very intensive week of hands-on training under the supervision of broadly experienced instructors. All techniques are described extensively during the morning lecture sessions and in most cases demonstrated by either video or live material.

For me personally this course was an opportunity to further develop my surgical skills and brush up on my knowledge concerning peri-operative topics such as asepsis, anaesthesia and post-operative care. The hands on training is organized in such a way that you first start operating a dummy rat before operating a live animal. The dummy has the advantage of teaching the student basic microsurgical suturing without having to sacrifice an experimental animal. During the course the opportunity is given to those who wish to practice special techniques required for their field of work.

Anyone who wishes to develop microsurgical skills could benefit from this course. It offers a very nice introduction to the exciting world of microsurgery. 

Harut Avsaroglu DVM

Veterinarian Central Laboratory Animal Institute,  Utrecht, The Netherlands
 

 
Gefäßkatheterisation im IMTC, Lelystad am 29.-31-03. 2004

Wir kamen nach Lelystad um die Katheterisierung der Jugularis Vene und der Arterie Karotis zu lernen.
Der Kurs beinhaltete nicht nur die Katheterisierung dieser, wir haben zusätzlich das breite Feld der Mikrochirurgie vermittelt bekommen.
Im Seminar wurden wir aufmerksam gemacht, was für eine gelungene Operation wichtig ist.
Nicht allein die Technik des Operators, sondern auch der Umgang mit den Tieren, vor, während und nach der Operation (peri-operativ) ist ein wichtiger Bestandteil in der Mikrochirurgie.
Ein Statement wird uns wohl für immer in Erinnerung bleiben

"Why do we bother about the health status of our animals while take no precautions to prevent pathogens to enter the wound area???"

Als wichtigsten Teil bei einer Operation sehe ich deshalb die Asepsis an!

Es war sehr angenehm von den engagierten und motivierten Lehrern angeleitet zu werden.
Dabei zu beachten sind, das die kleinen Tricks und Tipps mindestens genauso wichtig sind wie Grundtechniken.

Die lockere Atmosphäre machte entspanntes und damit effektives Arbeiten möglich.
Wir wurden stets mit Rat und Tat unterstützt, die Nähe und die persönliche Betreuung durch die Lehrer war sehr angenehm.

Die Original Op-Kittel (Größe einheitlich) mit den Autogrammen der Seminarleiter- und teilnehmer werden in Ehren gehalten und auch gegen Höchstgebot nicht verkauft. :-)

P.S. Mirela möchte immer noch das Buch ( Mikrochirurgie an der Ratte ) in deutsch übersetzt haben!


[copyright by M.M., J.K., C.O.]
 

"If you need to learn microsurgical techniques and you need to learn more about performing a surgery in the best condition for you and your animals, you have to attempt an IMTC course. Here you will meet, in my opinion, the greatest specialists on microsurgery. The other thing that you will find, are very nice people, very helpfull, and every moment ready to help you or to give you some advises.

The structure of the course is well balanced between theory and practice. The course is very flexible organised, so that the instructors are trying to adapt it to you.

Something else which is very important; if you have never been to The Netherlands, you will have to attempt IMTC courses just to have the opportunity to go and to see this nice country."

(Participant from Basel, Swiss: IMTC course, May 2003)
 

This is the best course I've ever had. I wish I had it 30 years ago!

[Stockholm - Sweden]
 

Students at work.
[Odense - Denmark]