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RACS ASC 2025
A Collaborative Academic Partnership Between Neurosurgery and Anaesthesia: Advancing Patient Care through the Neurosurgery Advanced Life Support (Neuro-ALS) Workshop
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Presentation Description

Institution: Nepean Hospital - Kingswood, Australia

Purpose: Intraoperative emergencies in neurosurgery, though infrequent, can have significant consequences. Effective management requires comprehensive, evidence-based training to refine clinical expertise and enhance team coordination, ultimately improving patient outcomes. This study evaluates the impact of the Neurosurgery Advanced Life Support (Neuro-ALS) Workshop, aimed to equip anaesthetists and trainees with critical skills for managing these emergencies, through collaborative engagement with neurosurgeons and nurses. Methodology: Two groups of 15 participants each engaged in two simulation stations (5 per station) and an interactive lecture on advanced life support in neurosurgery. The simulation stations, fully equipped to replicate real-life emergency scenarios, involved collaborative participation from neurosurgeons and nurses. Both stations addressed the complexities of neurosurgery, including spinal and cranial pathologies, complications (e.g., increased intracranial pressure, venous air embolism), and positioning techniques (e.g., prone with a three-pin skull clamp, supine with a cervical hard collar and external ventricular drain). Structured feedback was provided after each station, and comprehensive evaluations were collected from all participants. Results: Participants reported improvements in clinical expertise, team coordination, and confidence in delivering advanced life support during intraoperative emergencies. The workshop was assessed as well-structured, realistic, and conducive to an optimised learning process. Conclusion: The Neuro-ALS Workshop enhances clinical expertise, confidence and team coordination in managing intraoperative neurosurgical emergencies, and is regarded as a valuable learning adjunct by all participants.
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Authors

Dr Rachel Park - , Dr Matthew Tait - , Dr Thanan Elalingam -