Despite the winter chill settling in at home, it has been an energising week for ASGBI abroad. Dimitris Damaskos, Ben Griffiths and I were delighted to represent the Association at the Pan-Hellenic Congress of Surgery in Athens. We delivered the Laparoscopic Skills in Emergency Surgery (LSES) Course, in partnership with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, to a highly engaged group of Surgical Residents. Their enthusiasm for developing core emergency laparoscopic competencies was genuinely inspiring.
We then joined the main congress, where I had the privilege of presenting the UK’s 10-year experience with NELA - a decade that has seen remarkable and sustained improvements in outcomes for emergency laparotomy patients. The discussion that followed was both lively and insightful, with Greek colleagues reflecting on the absence of national emergency laparotomy data and recognising the value of beginning this important conversation. It was a reminder of how international collaboration can spark meaningful change in the care of our most vulnerable patients.
Back at home, we also hosted our Precision in Wound Care Management webinar, which brought together leaders in the field for the launch of the new DISH classification - Dehiscence, Infection, Seroma, Haematoma. This simple, pragmatic framework aims to bring much-needed consistency to wound classification, supporting future research and giving surgeons a shared language. If you were unable to join us live, the session is available to watch HERE.
And of course, what a fantastic month it has been for Emergency General Surgery. I hope many of you enjoyed the EGS Symposium in Birmingham. The programme was rich with innovation, thoughtful debate and practical insights across the entire spectrum of EGS. Our thanks and congratulations go to Adam Peckham-Cooper for curating such a strong and forward-thinking meeting.
I am also delighted that the first ASGBI candidates preparing for the Fundamentals in Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) exam, delivered in collaboration with our friends at SAGES, were able to get hands-on time with the FLS boxes during the symposium. The tasks may appear simple, but the skills they develop are fundamental: precise bimanual control, endoloop placement, safe dissection, accurate needle-driving and intracorporeal suturing. These are the building blocks of competent laparoscopic practice, regardless of specialty, and I enjoyed being the first to practice before I take the FLS exam next year.
The FLS qualification is recognised internationally as a benchmark of excellence, encompassing both didactic teaching materials and practical examination. For me, it is important that our own Residents have access to this globally validated pathway. If you are interested in undertaking FLS and sitting the exam, there will be opportunities at our Congress in Brighton next year - and I encourage you to get involved.
Christian Macutkiewicz
President, ASGBI
