This program is structured so that the Accreditation will be of academic and legal value in the specific country where the specific member is applying for ISGE Accreditation. To achieve this goal the ISGE Task Force for the Accreditation of Gynecological Endoscopy (TFAGE), under the guidance of the former ISGE President Professor Bruno van Herendael, has called on a world renowned specialist in accreditation Professor Walter Costantini of Milan University in Italy. They have together elaborated the ISGE accreditation program.

This accreditation concerns all forms of MIGS, Vaginal Surgery, vNOTES, Hysteroscopy, Laparoscopy and Robotics and also the structures and the services where the gynaecological endoscopy is performed as to create a safe environment where the ISGE accredited professional can perform her/his endoscopy.

To obtain this goal the TFAGE did appoint an Accreditation Council. For the period 2022-2025 the Council is formed by Alfonso Rossetti, chairman of the Training Committee, Bruno van Herendael, Medical Director, and Kurian Joseph who takes the position of Chairman of the Accreditation Council. The former chairman being Adel Shervin (2017-2021)

Entrance to the Accreditation

ISGE does organize a skill test SEBCOH-i (LASTT, HYSTT) to select the members for a curriculum in the ISGE Accreditation. ISGE’s Accreditation Council does deliver a certificate of skills. The testing occurs during the conferences of the ISGE unless otherwise communicated.

The further steps of the ISGE Accreditation are organized by the ISGE Accreditation Council and in collaboration with a university and/or the local authorities in the country of the applicant.

ISGE Accreditation

The ISGE Accreditation Councils goal is
“To certify people to be able to go to theatre and operate safely on patients”

Certification: ISGE SEBCOH-i

(Screen Eye Brain Coordination with Handheld-instruments)

  • There have to be also tests for hysteroscopic orientation and for suturing.

  • ISGE is in the process of acquiring LASTT and HYSTT models developed by +he Academy as suggested by Dr Rudi Campo in liaison with +he Academy. The test to evaluate endoscopic suturing is in progress (2022) in collaboration with Armando Romeo.

STEP I: ISGE Qualified Gynecologist for MIGS

The Intensive Week

There will be reduced time live surgery during the two days. The other days unedited video tapes will be shown as well as video tapes edited to show explicitly the specific steps of different operations i.e. hysterectomy and cystectomy.

  • The theoretical lectures will be of forty-five minutes
  • The topics:

    1. Anatomy very elaborated for the pelvic surgeon.
    2. Principles of energy-based instruments.
    3. Optimizing ergonomics.
    4. Hysterectomy different lectures.
    5. Myomectomy both laparoscopy and hysteroscopy.
    6. Pelvic Floor surgery.
    7. Infertility laparoscopy combined with hysteroscopy.
    8. ISGE principles of abdominal entry.
    9. Ectopic pregnancy.
    10. Laparoscopic cystectomy.
    11. ISGE guidelines on pre-operative assessment of fibroids.
    12. Complications how to avoid at endoscopic surgery: hysteroscopy and laparoscopy.
The hands-on dry lab at least three (3) hours/day

  • Pelvi- trainer stations for different laparoscopic exercises and suturing with intention to upgrade these training stations with Lyra trainers soon

    Lyra diagnostic station by Karl Storz SE & CO KG or equivalent

Specific exam on suturing

At the end of the week on Friday’s there will be a specific exam on suturing.
On Saturday a theoretical exam on 100 MCQ’ s is held. The Accreditation Council sets the death line to pass at 60%.

The result

The result will send to the candidates within the six weeks after the final test.

The experience in endoscopy

To have a better idea on the experience in endoscopy of the participants a questionnaire will be send to the applicants to be filled in and send back to the ISGE Secretariat one month before the actual date of the Intensive Week at that moment the payment has to be in the Belgium ISGE Accreditation account.
The Tutors will be notified on the level of experience of the participants so that the Intensive Week can be tailored to this experience level.

STEP II: ISGE Certified MIGS Surgeon degree

Evaluation on cases submitted

Possible applicants are requested to contact the ISGE secretary who will provide the applicant with a code and
instructions on how to submit the cases.
On the fifty (50) cases submitted the Accreditation council needs:

  • Patients history.
  • Pathology corresponding to the case.
  • Medical Record Department of the Hospital to provide the council with:

    1. File number of the Medical Record.
    2. Date of the operation.
Cases Specified
  • Number 50 in two years Laparoscopy:

    1. Adnexal Surgery n=10
      Extra-Uterine, Golff ball, Salpingectomy, Adnexectomy.
    2. Myomectomy (Subserosal – Submucosal) demonstrating suturing n=10
    3. Hysterectomy n=10
    4. Ovarian cysts n=10
    5. Endometriosis (Endometrioma – Pelvic endometriosis) n=5
    6. Adhesiolysis 1 – 2 n=5
  • Number 50 in two years Hysteroscopy:

    1. Septa n=10
    2. Myomectomy (FIGO 1-3) n=10
    3. Polyps n=20
    4. Isthmocoele n=5
    5. Adhesiolysis (1-3) n=5
Interview

When the candidate declares to ready he or she is invited for an interview at the address of the ISGE in Rome Viale Regina Margherita for an interview.

  • The members of the Accreditation Council will judge the candidate on:

    1. The validity of the indications for the surgeries.
    2. The checking of the video’s submitted.
    3. The pathology.
    4. The interview with the specific candidate.
  • The video’s submitted by the candidate are stored on www.isge.org with access only for the candidate him or herself and the members of the Accreditation Council.
  • The result will send to the candidates within the six weeks after the final test.
ISGE_Accreditation_Committee_Scoring_System

STEP III ISGE Expert degree in MIGS

Requirements:

  • Candidates will prepare a thesis, review or research article on a selected topic with ISGE input along with references not to exceed 40 and photographs of cases if deemed to be necessary
  • Candidate will specify the field he or she wants to attain expert degree
  • Candidates will prepare a list of 100 laparoscopic or Hysteroscopic procedures (unedited videos) he or she has performed to be selectively reviewed by ISGE examiners

  • Laparoscopic cases will include the following cases:

    • a. Laparoscopic hysterectomy for: Frozen Pelvis, for over 12 weeks size myoma, or Advanced Endometriosis
    • b. Advanced Endometriosis cases stage III-IV with ureterolysis, uterine artery ligation, resection of colorectal endometriosis (shaving, discoid resection, segmental resection)
    • c. Pelvic floor Prolapse surgery: Burch Procedure, Pectopexy, Paravaginal repair
    • d. Oncology: Pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy, Radical Hysterectomy
    • e. Complex Myomectomy
    • f. Laparoscopic surgery for post-operative complications, bleeding, abscess, small and large bowel incidents, etc.
    • g. Extensive adhesiolysis G:5

Note: The candidate may be called to be interviewed concerning selected uploaded cases, he or she had performed. This interview will take place during candidates live surgery demonstration, at previously selected date, to observe candidate’s technique, proficiency, expertise, anatomical knowledge, coordination of staff, adequacy of laparoscopic system, instruments and his or her team at their institution.

The Final result will be sent to the candidate within 6 weeks, the candidate who passes, gains the degree of EXPERT in MIGS and may be asked to join ISGE accreditation committee to represent ISGE in theoretical and operative teaching worldwide.

POINT 2 Hands-on Training and Fellowship Program

ISGE is actively in the process of hands-on training of interested candidates at its designated training centres and is in process of finalizing the model with interested institutions worldwide including Beijing, China and Yaoundé, Cameroon, more information will be available soon for interested physicians in near future.

ISGE Accreditation Council is actively looking into fellowship training centres in different countries worldwide and its curriculum will be oriented toward less theoretical and more practical training in concert with AAGL, more information upcoming soon Final note: ISGE is continuously trying to update and upgrade its education program and tools, in that scenario programs will be subject to change, all the changes will be posted at ISGE site.

POINT 3 The Undergraduate Training

  • There are at this moment conventions signed with the Sheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar Senegal concerning the undergraduate teaching. ISGE is involved in the training one week on a yearly basis. These sessions are in French.

  • One convention has been signed with the University of Yaoundé I Yaoundé Cameroon. Here ISGE is involved one week three times on a yearly basis. The teaching is in English.

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