23.11.16

The second group of staff from Department of Plastic Surgery is currently visiting The United States: From the left Tine Engberg Damsgaard, MD, Consultant responsible for research, Malene Raundahl, RN,  Sandra Scieber, RN and Hanne Rønning, MD, Consultant (private photo).

Doctors and nurses from Department of Plastic Surgery at Aarhus University Hospital are currently visiting Emory University Hospital in The United States to get new knowledge and inspiration.

The Department of Plastic Surgery applied for and received funding from Aarhus University Hospital 1.5 years ago to further improve the level and breast and plastic surgery.

This has made it possible for seven doctors and 12 nurses from Department of Plastic Surgery at Aarhus University Hospital to visit well-reputed international centres for reconstructive and plastic surgery.

Visits are planned at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, USA and at Nottingham University Hospital in England. These two hospitals integrate breast and reconstructive surgery in  patients with breast cancer and patients at major risk of developing breast cancer.

The first destination is Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. The first group of staff returned to Aarhus University Hospital a week ago and the second group is currently visiting.

Emory University Hospital is among the leading international centres for advanced reconstructive plastic surgery. The centre offers a one-entrance access to acknowledged experts in both breast cancer treatment and reconstructive surgery.   

Among other things, Emory University Hospital offers intraoperative evaluation of the blood flow in tissue (SPY Elite-System). As the only hospital in Europe, Department of Plastic Surgery also has this equipment used in breast surgery and reconstructive breast surgery.

In connection with the visit, surgeons and nurses from Aarhus University Hospital have the possibility to obtain new knowledge of and inspiration to implement this in the Denmark. The department is in the process of forming a similar one-entrance system for breast and plastic surgery.

Focus is on patient pathways and patient involvement to explore if this way of working could be successfully transferred to and applied in other parts of the Danish healthcare system.

Emory University Hospital is among the leading centres internationally in advanced reconstructive breast surgery (private photo).