WIDER-Barcelona

On July 20, 2009, the Generalitat de Catalunya and Obra Social “la Caixa” signed with the HUVH and VHIR an agreement to promote an Endoscopic Surgery Center: The World Institute for Digestive Endoscopy Research (WIDER-Barcelona), led by Dr. José Ramón Armengol. The institute is focused on teaching, research and dissemination of gastrointestinal endoscopy in all its facets, both medical and surgical, with special attention to development of methodology known as transluminal endoscopic surgery through natural orifices (NOTES).

On November 27 and 28, Vall d’Hebron has hosted the 11th edition of the international NOTES-WIDER-Barcelona course, which includes conferences and practical workshops every year from 2007.

The course has grouped surgeons and experts in gastroenterology and clinical endoscopy, in order to update them in the immediate future of transluminal endoscopic surgery for natural orifices (or NOTES), since they are less invasive methods that allow to avoid incisions and scars External in abdominal surgery. Interventional therapeutic techniques derived or related to this type of surgery have also been presented.

In addition to the theoretical conferences, the participants were able to attend practical and interactive sessions in two operating theaters of the VHIR thanks to the videotransmission. The practical sessions have allowed the demonstration of techniques of anesthesia, incubation, probes …

The course has been led by Dr. José Ramón Armengol-Miró, Dr. Manuel Armengol Carrasco, Dr. Antonio José Torres García and Dr. Joan Dot Bach, and has received the support of Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, VHIR, Olympus Europa SE & CO, and the collaboration of Obra Social “La Caixa”.