The Surgical Simulation and Training Center at the Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC), in Loulé, is already fully operational and will host its first course open to the medical community next May.
«What we find here is a place where surgeons, in training or already trained, can train and improve their surgical training, using these simulators where we perform an operative act that is actually very close to the real thing», he begins by explaining to Sul Informação Daniel Cartucho, coordinator of this Center, which is located on Rua de Betunes, in Loulé.
The Center was born from another investment, within the scope of the Algarve 2020 regional program, in the area of Health, promoted by ABC, a partnership between the University of Algarve and the Algarve Local Health Unit, and financed by Loulé City Council.
This space – which already had last November received a visit from Ana Abrunhosa, at the time, Minister of Territorial Cohesion – it was officially inaugurated last Thursday, April 18th, with all the equipment available to use in translational and clinical research in the medical-surgical fields, as well as in area of intensive care, neuroscience, oncology, cardiovascular and ophthalmology.
«These devices allow me, if I'm going to have a complex surgery, in an anatomical region that I haven't worked on for a long time, to gain great reality and be completely confident. In these machines, it is possible to perform gestures, such as removing and putting on an elastic band, but it is also possible to simulate a specific surgery, such as removing a gallbladder, an appendix or other complex things», emphasizes surgeon Daniel Cartucho.
In addition to the surgical devices, this Center has a room dedicated to intensive care training, with a doll that looks like “an authentic person”.
«It is a reproduction so faithful in terms of sound, but also of the heartbeat, of organic failure, that it really seems real. Let's imagine that the person has a myocardial infarction. What does that mean? It can start with a series of symptoms, which are all expressed in that doll. And if I say that I give ok to this medicine or that, the patient, that is, the doll, will evolve according to physiology», explains the coordinator.
In the ophthalmology room, it is also possible, using artificial intelligence, to contact professionals who, on the other side of the world, have access to the same equipment. Therefore, as explained during the visit to the center, it will be possible to clarify doubts with some of the most experienced doctors in the world in certain areas.
The official inauguration of this center was attended by some doctors and medical students from the University of Algarve, who, according to Daniel Cartucho, have already «showed a great desire to come here once or twice a week», train their skills – always with tutoring.
With all the equipment available, the Center will also, from May onwards, begin hosting courses open to the surgical population.
Regarding the monitoring of trainees, surgeon Daniel Cartucho explains that the machine, regardless of what the tutor is seeing, will, in the end, quantify performance and evolution.
«The machine tells me everything from the strength of the grasp to the object I'm doing, the time it took me to make a certain gesture and then it tells me if before you were a guy who was doing this in four minutes and today I can do it in two , for example. Therefore, in addition to what the tutor sees of the progression of those using this instrument, the machine objectively and quantifies – and that is very interesting», he continues.
The courses, which start next month, are paid, depending on the number of hours and sessions.
«Anyone who passes through here will leave with a diploma qualification too. And it is in this sense that this rigor, of those who will certify whatever it is, are people of the highest level in any possible location», concludes the Center coordinator.
During the inauguration ceremony, Pedro Castelo Branco, president of the Algarve Biomedical Center, highlighted that ABC has, in recent years, «considered the development of medical simulation as one of its priorities and, therefore, this is now a well-known reality in the region and throughout the country».
This person also highlighted that, in this sense, “the need arose to increase the training offer”, complemented with this project.
Last November, Vítor Aleixo, president of Loulé Chamber, the entity that finances this project, had already stressed that this is proof that the Municipality «realizes that the paths of the future involve the opening of new dossiers", particularly in the area of health, and that, together with academia and other players, search "open new clusters economic in the region, which will be important for the Algarve and for the country».
Highlighting the «excellent tourism» that already exists in this municipality, Vitor Aleixo stressed that «we can have more to develop this territory and these communities».
In addition to the Surgical Simulation and Training Center, this building has a research Center of Excellence – projects that involved an investment of 8,87 million euros and which will be installed not only on Rua de Betunes, but also in a building that is to be built on Loulé cemetery street.
Photos: Mariana Sedge | Sul Informação
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