Journal of Gastrointestinal & Digestive System
Open Access

Abstract

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is the gold standard technique for en bloc resection of superficial tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Hands-on endoscopy workshops are the popular and valuable source for training of ESD. In China, ESD experience remains limited. Endoscopy Center, Zhongshan Hospital was the first endoscopy center to provide ESD in China back in 2006 and has been a destination for ESD training since 2009. The aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of short-term hands-on workshops in ESD and to assess the progress of ESD practice in China following endoscopic training at the Zhongshan Hospital, with special attention to both short-term outcomes during the course and to the later ESD experience of the trainee’s hospitals, in order to help setting the standards for adequate training and certification for ESD. Follow up questionnaires were sent to all 550 trainees at 464 hospitals in October 2014, with 460 trainees responding. There were 550 doctors who were trained during the 23rd hands-on workshops held in Zhongshan Hospital, the median number of course trainees was 25(ranging between 7-32). Completed questionnaires were returned by 460 (83.6%) trainees. There were 417 trainees who started performing ESD after the course. 28 doctors attended the workshop twice and performed better than trainees who attended once in the hands-on practice session. Performance in the practical session has a significant difference both in the trainee's GI experience (>5years vs ≤5years) and GI endoscopies (>4000 vs ≤4000). Following up the trainees within 1-year, there were 378 (82.2%) respondents from high volume medical centers, with one-third of the respondents had experience in ESD. Conclusion: Hands-on endoscopy workshops are useful in introducing ESD for trainees. Results showed that our training model is safe and enable novice endoscopists to start performing ESD. Requirements for starting ESD training include prior GI endoscopy experience, intensive learning and simulated ESD on live animal models under instructor’s supervision. Essential requirements for trainees starting ESD remain to be established, but our system provides a step on the way.

Biography

Liqing Yao has completed his MD at the age of 25 years from The Fudan University of Medicine. He is the director of Endoscopy Institute, Fudan University. He has published more than 25 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member of repute.

E-mail: yao.liqing@zs-hospital.sh.cn