Residents from across TMC get hands-on instruction at first endoscopic sinus surgery course

Physicians at Houston Methodist recently held the first resident focused city-wide endoscopic sinus surgery course, which was attended by otolaryngology residents from the University of Texas Medical Branch , Baylor College of Medicine, University of Texas-Houston and Houston Methodist. The class was conducted at MITIE, and students heard lectures on endoscopic sinus surgery, endoscopic orbital surgery and endoscopic skull-based surgery, followed by a cadaver dissection. Class lectures and presentations were given by faculty in rhinology including Jonathan Y. Ting, MD, Chair, Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Indiana University, as well as faculty from Louisiana State University, University of Texas-Houston, Baylor and UTMB, in addition to faculty form Houston Methodist. “We had a great turnout and a great educational experience. There are so many great institutions here, and we want to create a collaborative educational experience for all the residencies. Our goal is to take the strengths of each institution and work together,” said Omar G. Ahmed, MD, who, along with Mas Takashima, MD, co-directed the course. Conducting the course at MITIE allowed the residents to use real-life technology and the instruments that are used to operate. “It’s basically a perfect surgical simulation,” Ahmed said. The course provided 15 stations to the more than 40 participants. Cadaver heads were primarily used, but the course also piloted a 3D sinus surgery model created by Peter-John Wormald, MD. “This was the most realistic 3D models that’s been seen in the sinus space. It’s been the most realistic in terms of the feel of the tissue, in terms of the dissection of planes and it makes it very easy, in terms of conserving resources,” Ahmed said.