Loupe magnification?

[Feli]

Just curious what resident/attending experience has been with magnification during procedures... has anyone had good/bad experience? I ordered a basic pair and will also be taking a 1wk microvasc training class later in the month.

I just got the 2.5x mag since the learning curve is supposedly the simplest and don't think I'll be using them a whole lot. I am hoping that once I get comfortable with them, they'll be useful for saving neck strain on tarsal tunnels, neuromas, and maybe some other stuff from time to time. They will be also get some reps on my vasc and plastics rotations of course. We had a recent case with all anterior extensor muscle tendons lacerated at the ankle level as well as the AT artery and peroneal nerves transected... would've possibly been useful there (not that I would've gotten first assist as a lowly pgy1, though).

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[krabmas]

Just curious what resident/attending experience has been with magnification during procedures... has anyone had good/bad experience? I ordered a basic pair and will also be taking a 1wk microvasc training class later in the month.

I just got the 2.5x mag since the learning curve is supposedly the simplest and don't think I'll be using them a whole lot. I am hoping that once I get comfortable with them, they'll be useful for saving neck strain on tarsal tunnels, neuromas, and maybe some other stuff from time to time. They will be also get some reps on my vasc and plastics rotations of course. We had a recent case with all anterior extensor muscle tendons lacerated at the ankle level as well as the AT artery and peroneal nerves transected... would've possibly been useful there (not that I would've gotten first assist as a lowly pgy1, though).

I invested in 2.5x loupes and love them. I've used them mostly for plastic and hand cases but also for foot stuffs ie: bunions, tarsal tunnel, ganglions, neuromas, FDL tx (toes 2-5)...

I think I will invest at some point in 4.0 loupes. I too took a microsurg basic and advanced course and really enjoy doing arterial and nerve repair and hope to get some good trauma cases at some point where I can use these skills. Many of the plastic surgeons are now doing free flaps with 4.0 loupes and no microscope.

Feli, what course are you taking?

 

[Feli]

StJohn Providence Hospital has a course that I can take since we're part of the system:
http://www.stjohn.org/Providence/HealthInfo/DeptResearch/Microsurgery/

The class is a week long and done with the operating microscope... artery, nerve, and vein anastamosis. It's taught by some of the plastics and vascular fellowship faculty there... should be a good experience.

 

[krabmas]

StJohn Providence Hospital has a course that I can take since we're part of the system:
http://www.stjohn.org/Providence/HealthInfo/DeptResearch/Microsurgery/

The class is a week long and done with the operating microscope... artery, nerve, and vein anastamosis. It's taught by some of the plastics and vascular fellowship faculty there... should be a good experience.

have a great time.

 

[Feli]

I would highly recommend the Providence course! Great experience... got to use 10-0 nylon, microsurg instruments, and the microscope to do femoral artery and vein anastamosis and then sciatic nerve epineural repairs on rats.

Fun stuff, and it gives you the basic principles.... Most of the key nerves and vessels in the foot and ankle are big enough that they could possible done under loupe mag. A forty hour course sure can't make you a pro like the vasc and plastics fellows who occasionally dropped by the lab and did quick practice sessions during my course, but what I learned definitely laid the groundwork and was a good time