FALS HERNIA Guidelines

(Fellowship of Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery)

About FALS Fellowship Course

• This course is to train senior or advanced laparoscopic surgeons and to keep the members abreast with recent advancements in advanced laparoscopic procedures. FALS courses are organized in various sub- specialties such as hernia, bariatric surgery, upper gastrointestinal surgery, colorectal surgery and oncology, HPB and robotic surgery
  
  

A. FELLOWSHIP CATEGORY

Eligibility Criteria:

IAGES MEMBERSHIP IS MUST.

• Those who are not members may apply for membership online. See the website www.iages.infor more details
• Members of collaborating associations who have signed MOU with IAGES are also eligible. They are expected to get their application endorsed by the respective collaborating association prior to joining the course.
  
  

1. Non-Examination category
   • Surgeons who have been doing laparoscopic surgery in the chosen field for 10 or more years are eligible for Non-Examination Category.
   • Candidates should have performed more than 100 laparoscopic surgeries in the chosen subspecialty and need to submit a logbook to substantiate the claim.
   • All the candidates will be interviewed by the IAGES board for final assessment before the award of fellowship
     
     
2. Examination Category
   • • • All surgeons with a minimum of 3 years experience in the chosen specialty of laparoscopic surgery.
         (Includes experience in laparoscopy as a postgraduate surgical resident).
       • The applicant should have performed over 25 laparoscopic procedures in the chosen specialty either jointly or independently.
       • All the candidates would appear for MCQ assessment and Viva by the IAGES FALS board for final assessment during the forthcoming annual national conference before awarding the fellowship
         
         

B. Non-Fellowship Category

• FALS course is also open to Non-members and all surgical postgraduates and interested surgeons across the globe, under the non-Fellowship category wherein they are eligible to take this course and receive the Certificate of completion of FALS course.
• They could register and participate in the annual national conference as Postgraduates or Non-member category
  
  

Logbook

• Age/Sex/Surgery/Role/Post-op course/Complication/Remarks
• Role – Assisted/under supervision/Independent (as drop down)
• Post-op course – Uneventful / Eventful (as drop down)
• Complications – Infection, Bleeding, Leak, Stricture, Obstruction, Others (type if others) as drop down
• Remarks – Type the outcome of the event, if patient has been conservatively managed, Recovered, Diseased, Transferred, etc
  
  

Assessment of FALS fellowship candidates/Exam category will be conducted by IAGES Central Office.

The candidate is expected to know all important facts in Chosen subspecialty in laparoscopic surgery.

• Online Exam Timings: 60 minutes
• Maximum number of marks: 100
• The Online Exam should have 100 MCQ questions (single best response type).

FALS HERNIA FELLOWSHIP COURSE MODULES

Module No	Topic
INGUINAL HERNIA & DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA
1	History & Evolution of Laparoscopic Hernia Surgery
2	Endoscopic Anatomy of Inguinal Region
3	Mesh/Fixators/Sutures & Sealants for Hernia Repair
4	Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair – What does the evidence say?
5	Role of Robotics in Hernia Surgery
6	Difficult Groin Hernias – Giant, Recurrent, Incarcerated
7	Complications of Lap Inguinal Hernia Surgery (Except Recurrence)
8	Chronic Groin Pain – Is It A Myth or Reality? How to Tackle?
9	Recurrence After Lap Inguinal Hernia – Factors & Solutions
10	Laparoscopic Management of Diaphragmatic Hernias
11	Laparoscopic Management of Hiatal Hernia
12	Laparoscopy in Emergency Hernia Surgery
13	TAPP – Elucidating the Techniques & Key to Success
14	TEP – Elucidating the Techniques & Key to Success
15	eTEP for Groin Hernia
VENTRAL INCISIONAL HERNIA
16	Surgical Anatomy of Abdominal Wall
17	Abdominal Incision Closure and Preventing Hernias
18	Well Prepared is Half Done – Imaging in Hernias
19	Pneumoperitoneum, Botox
20	Complications of Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair
21	e-TEP- RS + TAR
22	TARM
23	SCOM, SCOLA, eMILOS
24	Suprapubic, Epigastric & Sub Costal Hernia Repairs – Problems & Solutions
25	Parastomal Hernia Repair – Tips & Tricks
26	Lumbar Hernias and Denervation Bulges
27	Ventral Hernia Algorithm – Which Procedure is the Best in this Patient?
28	Hernia Repair in the Morbidly Obese
29	Complex Hernias – Complex Solutions?
30	Lap. Ventral Hernia Repair (IPOM, IPOM Plus)
31	Anterior Component Separation – Open & Laparoscopic
32	Posterior Component Separation – Tips & Tricks

Practical Examination:

• Interview/assessment for approximately 10 minutes on each candidate. The candidates Practical Examination: are divided in to batches and are interviewed by the two or more senior most faculty members of IAGES depending upon the number of candidates. Maximum of 50 marks are
  allotted for the interview.
  
  
• Outcome of written and practical assessment will be prepared by the organizing team and to be signed and to be sent to the President with a copy to Hon Secretary Office and FALS board and results will be published in the IAGES website.
  
  
• Successful candidates would be expected to attend the subsequent annual conference and convocation to receive the fellowship certificate. The Fellowship certificate would be posted to the candidate if he /she fails to attend two consecutive annual congress/convocation.
  
  

Guidelines about conduct of FALS and selection of faculty:

• Topics for lectures have already been finalized and by and large were similar in all the fellowship course held in the past and alteration may be done in forthcoming courses according to the newer developments.
  
  
• The local organizing chairman may bring the changes after discussing with the president, chairman fellowship board and the secretary. The faculty is selected on the basis of their experience and field of interest. Speakers to be selected amongst present and past executive members and other eminent IAGES members
  
  
• The services of executive committee members both present and past, eminent and senior members can be utilized throughout the fellowship course. They are involved as the speakers, as chairpersons, as faculty in meet the professor session, for performing surgery in work shop, for interviewing the candidates, and for checking the answer sheet.
  • Duration of lectures – 20minutes.
  • Discussion time – 5 minutes
    
    
• The speakers are given liberty to prepare the lecture in their own way to cover all the important aspect related to the topic in allotted time. The text should be evidence based, authentic and well documented and should help in enhancement of basic understanding of subject. It is to be delivered expressively with support of excellent slides and video. Since the large number of delegates are new in the field of laparoscopic surgery, the importance to be safe and to prevent complications should be highlighted whenever required
  
  
• Speakers and chairpersons have to stick to the timeline. Only one liner introduction of speakers and chair persons will save time for the lecture.
  
  
• Chairpersons have to ensure that there is no encroachment on other speaker or discussion time and they have to facilitate interaction between speaker and audience and which should be to the point
  
  
• All speakers and topic of their lecture should be finalized at least 1 to 2 months in advance by the local organizing committee in consultation and knowledge of the president, chairman-fellow ship board or any consigned officer. Alternative replacement has to be made for any last-minute withdrawal due to unavoidable circumstances.
  
  
• The Feedback assessment form is given to all the delegates for their comments and suggestions.
  
  
• Presentation of mementos to be avoided on the stage since lots of time is wasted and time scheduled is disturbed and delayed. It is preferable to place it in the registration bag