LabOratory: Operation!

What is a simulated operating theatre?

The simulated operating theatre has been created by a surgical team at Imperial College, London. Simulated operating theaters themselves are nothing new — they are commonly found in training hospitals for use by junior doctors. However the simulated operating theatre at The Times Cheltenham Science Festival is an innovative piece of kit as it can be easily transported and is relatively cheap, unlike the multi-million pound variations found in hospitals.

The portable operating theatre has been created to be as realistic as possible — it needs to be if it is going to be used for the training of our future surgeons! So the operating table, the lighting, the sounds, the surgical tools all add up create an operating room that is as close to the real thing as you can get.

All the equipment that makes up the portable operating theatre can be flat packed to fit in the boot of a car. The main inflatable structure takes only three minutes to fully inflate. Yes, the thinking behind the development of this piece of kit is truly revolutionary — it is no wonder that it was deemed to be the most innovative pieces of new technology at a medical conference last year by The Times Online.

Further information:

• What The Times Online had to say about the igloo

What operations will I get to see or do?

Emergency Laparotomy

Drop by and see the team in action on both afternoons across the weekend of the Science Festival carrying out simulated emergency laparotomies. A laparotomy is a surgical procedure involving an incision through the abdominal wall to gain access into the abdominal cavity. Laparotomies are frequently performed in trauma situations — car accidents, stabbings or gun shot wounds.

On Saturday evening, the team will be joined by Dr Dawn Harper from Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies for a live transmission of an emergency laparotomy with additional but commonplace distractions and problems to add to the stress in the operating theatre.

Removal of a lipoma

A lipoma is a fatty lump which forms under the skin. They can be painful and unsightly and so on occasions are removed under local anaesthetic. Taking on the role of either surgeon or patient, each workshop participant will get the chance to receive expert guidance on the use of the surgical instruments and how to carry out the procedure.

Further information:

• More about laparotomy procedures
• Visit Dr Dawn’s website

Who’s who?

The team from Imperial College, London is made up of:

The management team

Roger Kneebone and Fernando Bello are responsible for the creation and development of the operating theatre and all that that entails.

The operating team

A couple of surgeons, an anaesthetist and a couple of nurses make up a typical operating team and this is who you will see at work in the LabOratory tent.

Technical support

Special effects — all those gory bits — have been created by Max and Izzy Campbell, who honed their skills back on Holby City. Studiohead are the creative designers behind the portable operating theatre.

How does stress impact on performance?

Stress is the adverse reaction by our bodies to excessive demands — typically leading to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. These responses are just what are needed in an emergency situation, known as the ‘fight or flight’ response. However, this very response can cause damage if it is triggered too often, as is found in those people coping with regularly stressful situations. In such cases, the immune system becomes suppressed and there is increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

So how do people in really stressful roles cope? Do surgeons dealing with unexpected complications demonstrate the typical responses of an individual under stress or have they found ways to train their bodies to overcome stress?

Watch the proceedings of a live-transmitted simulated operation which incorporates added stress-inducers and hear from the surgeons about how they cope.