Educational programme
2 years educational programme (120 ECTS) in search of excellence in surgical lymphology.
MSL’s educational programme consists in:
- 9 theoretical and practical modules (each consisting of theoretical classes, practical training and live or recorded surgeries held throughout the first year).
- The clinical immersion programme consisting in 3 modules, to be held one of our accredited training centers (a minimum of 4 months and a maximum of 12 months, to be done during the whole period of the Master).
- An online module to develop the methodological aspects of clinical research finished with the presentation of a Master Thesis.
- A final exam.
To be awarded this Lifelong Learning Master’s Degree issued by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, trainees must complete the educational programme: pass all the modules, pass the practical assessment, do the minimal period of clinical immersion and present a research project.
If you are unable to travel, you have the possibility to take the clinical training modules on-line.
- How AI is going to change the breast cancer treatment
- How we should provide patient education
- How fashion, social media and influencers are defining the new breast aesthetic world
- Minimal invasive breast aesthetic surgery
- Robotic Breast Mastectomy and Reconstructive
- Essentials on breast implant stabilization
- Breast implant safety
- Defining the boundaries of breast conservative surgery
- How to do a reliable mastectomy
- How to reduce the risk of BCR lymphedema
- How to avoid complications on autologous breast reconstruction
- A symphony of mistakes: how to avoid them
- How to manage the complications with implant reconstruction with ADM
- Forum on Breast Implant Safety
- Atelier for preoperative marking in aesthetic surgical techniques
- Long term outcome assessment lab on breast enlargement
- Masterclass in mastopexy
- Spotlights on tricks and tips
- Life surgery
- Break-out sessions, face to face debates, video-surgery teaching sessions
- The changing trends in breast augmentation
At the end of this module, students will be able to:
- Understand and know how to apply the most important concepts related to clinical research.
- Know how to ask clinical questions of different types and in a structured way.
- Promote the design of the most appropriate clinical studies to answer the clinical questions of interest.
- Conduct searches on scientific publications in a structured, comprehensive and efficient manner.
- Carry out an adequate critical appraisal to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each study.
- Understand and apply the most basic statistical concepts to calculate the different measures of association and effect.
At the end of this module, students will be able to understand:
- The critical roles of lymphatic system, including transporting tissue fluids and plasma protein back to the bloodstream and providing major pathways for the spread of metastatic tumour cells.
- The development of the lymphatic vasculature.
- The embryology of the vascular and lymphatic systems during gestation.
- The anatomy of the human lymphatic system which is composed of collecting vessels and lymph nodes and comprises five distributions: superficial, deep, communicating, perforating, and visceral.
- The superficial lymphatic system anatomy that includes two subsystems: epi-fascial and inter-fascial.
- The pathophysiology of primary and secondary lymphedema.
- Lymphangiogenesis and Neolymphangiogensis which is the formation of new lymphatic vessels and its regulation by both prolymphangiogenic and antilymphangiogenic mechanisms.
- Several abnormalities within the genes involved in lymphangiogenesis that reported to cause lymphedema.
- The lymphatic malformation.
At this module, students will learn:
- Clinicians’ perspective in the diagnosis of lymphedema (History and clinical examination).
- The different measuring methods.
- Different biomarkers used to reliably detect the lymphatics. • Imagining modalities include Radionuclide lymphoscintigraphy, Indocyanine green lymphography ICG, Magnetic resonance lymphangiography and High-definition US.
- Lymphedema stages. • Clinical importance of a good differential Diagnosis of lymphedema.
- Phlebolymphedema and Lipedema.
At the end of this module, students will learn the following:
- The divergent opinions exist regarding the best treatment options for lymphedema.
- An accurate assessment of the lymphedema.
- Multidisciplinary management of Lymphedema.
- Pharmacological treatments.
- Current physiotherapy treatment options in Lymphedema: Exercises, Lymphatic drainage, Compression therapies and Alternative treatments.
- The importance of immediate post-operative physiotherapy treatment.
- Compliance and adherence to lymphedema treatment.
- Diet and Nutrition.
This module will be focused on the following:
- Accurate patients’ selection • Interventional timing
- Lymphaticovenous bypass Operations
- Vascularized lymph node transplantation
- Recipient site selection & donor site selection in VLNT
- Lymphatic graft
- Vascularized functional lymphatic tissue transfer
- Lymph interpositional flap transfer (LIFT)
A part of the theoretical lessons in this module, there will be a “Live Surgery” for some interesting cases, where step by step procedures will be done with rich clinical discussion between the teachers and students
This module will be focused on the following:
- Accurate patients’ selection
- Interventional timing
- Excisional approaches for Lymphedema treatment
- Liposuction
- Lipoedema management
- Differences in the treatment of Lipo-lymphedema vs Lipoedema
- Filariasis treatment
A part of the theoretical lessons in this module, there will be a “Live Surgery” for some interesting cases, where step by step procedures will be done with rich clinical discussion between the teachers and students.
This module will be focused on the following:
- Screening and early detection of lymphedema.
- Prophylactic lymphedema treatments during oncological surgeries.
- Prophylactic treatments with immediate breast reconstruction.
- Minimizing donor site morbidity & Reverse lymphatic mapping.
- Sentinel lymph node outcomes.
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Subclinical lymphedema management.
A part of the theoretical lessons in this module, there will be a “Live Surgery” for some interesting cases, where step by step procedures will be done with rich clinical discussion between the teachers and students.
The students will be able to learn:
The students will be able to learn how to perform supermicrosurgery procedures on rabbits, starting from the ergonomics of microsurgery, management of the experimental animal, review for all the microsurgery and supermicrosurgery concepts, localizing the lymphatic channels on animal module, performing various types of lympho-venous anastomosis and lymph node – venous anastomosis, performing vascularised lymph node transfer, raising different kinds of flap and vascularised lymphatic flaps.
Detailed explanation of the physiopathology of the lymphatic system, clear description of the lymphatic surgical anatomy on cadaver, the way to assess the Lymphedema and problem-solving concept, selection of Lymphedema surgery and post intervention follow up.
Practical hands-on sessions on surgical anatomy on cadaver, how to rise the different types of vascularised lymph nodes containing flaps, the dissection of different VLNT donor sites (submental, supraclavicular, thoraco-dorsam. Omental, mesenteric and groin lymph nodes), exercises in the recipient vessels selection for lymph node transfer, dissection of the lymphatic channels, thoracic duct and cistern chyli.
The program includes a practical training module with feedback from facilitators. During this period, students will be involved in clinical cases focused on lymphatic surgery and microsurgery and assist in these surgeries, following preoperative and postoperative clinics. They will present cases to the other students and faculty to clarify doubts and evaluate the surgery.
Minimum 8 weeks and maximum 1 year / In at least two of our accredited training centres
- Joint review of the different lymphatic surgical techniques
- Presentation and discussion of complex clinical cases
- Resolution of immediate and delayed postsurgical complications
- Optimization of technique tailored to each student
- Optimization of technique tailored to each student
Final exam will be a face-to-face oral exam of two clinical cases varies between easy to complex cases, each student will be examined by two different professors and the final mark will be the sum of the marks made by both examiners.
Preparation of a comprehensive written research report is an essential part of a valid research experience, and the student should be aware of this requirement at the outset of the project. Interim reports may also be required. Sufficient time should be allowed for satisfactory completion of reports, considering that initial drafts should be supervised and corrected by the tutor. Finally, PowerPoint presentation will be done at the final evaluation day for the research project defence and the mark will be made by the examiner committee.
- Conduct searches on scientific publications in a structured, comprehensive and efficient manner.
- Carry out an adequate critical appraisal to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each study.
- Understand and apply the most basic statistical concepts to calculate the different measures of association and effect.
Master Thesis
Preparation of a comprehensive written research report is an essential part of a valid research experience, and the student should be aware of this requirement at the outset of the project.
Interim reports may also be required. Sufficient time should be allowed for satisfactory completion of reports, taking into account that initial drafts should be supervised and corrected by your tutor.
