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Online (micro)surgical training at RRSSC (download the PDF) At the René Remie Surgical Skills Centre (RRSSC) training facilities in Almere, The Netherlands, we have trained over 3000 surgeons, veterinarians, animal technicians, and scientists. We teach the general principle of surgery in rodents and provide training in a large number of specific (micro)surgical procedures, e.g. catheterisations for chronic blood sampling and infusion, implantation of devices (radio-telemeters, osmotic mini pumps and iPRECIO pumps), and experimental techniques such as myocardial infarction (MI, LAD obstruction), transverse aortic constriction (TAC). However, experimental techniques such as bile duct catheterization with intact entero-hepatic circulation and chronic CSF sampling in the cisterna manga of the rat are also taught. The dedicated surgical workstations, FST instruments, personal attention, and relaxed atmosphere during our courses create the ideal circumstances for knowledge transfer. Our website testimonials speak for themselves.  (https://www.rrssc.eu/testimonials-2/). Why did we start this online training? Like many other businesses, we were affected by the travel restrictions of our clients due to the Corona pandemic. As a result, the number of course participants being able to follow our training modules decreased. Although we believe that surgical training is best achieved with personal guidance in our dedicated training facilities, we have the set up for online surgical training for advanced surgeons and thus expand our training possibilities. With online surgical training, we continue to comply with our mission “To share our experience and enthusiasm for setting and achieving ambitious levels of surgical skills”. This means we have set the highest standard for performing this online surgical training. Both the microscope vision and overview of the surgical area are provided. Additionally, we offer the possibility of monitoring you while performing surgery using a portable digital microscope. This allows us to guide you through procedures and help you perform complex steps in the operation. …

Good and reliable surgical instruments are important tools for optimal microsurgery. For over 45 years, the Fine Science Tools (FST) Group has been the leading distributor of precision surgical and microsurgical instruments and laboratory accessories in Europe. At FST, they precisely craft over 1,000 products and serve thousands of customers in universities, research facilities, biotech, and scientific institutions worldwide.  They team with over 70 business partners and are working with over 50 distributors, all well-known in the fields of laboratory sales and surgical equipment. All of their European manufacturers and suppliers are ISO 9001 certified. All the employees at the three offices support the wide-ranging needs of the scientific and biomedical research communities around the globe.  RRSSC and FST share several core values. Good and reliable surgical instruments are important tools for optimal microsurgery. Therefore Fine Science Tools (FST) and RRSSC are joining forces. Their selection of instruments is based on careful study and knowledge of customers’ needs, as well as listening to their requests. They use this feedback to constantly adapt their products to the laboratories, research facilities, and learning institutions that rely on them.Almost every instrument they sell is manufactured by skilled European craftsmen and designed to exact specifications. Their instruments are forged from the strongest, lightest materials available, including the finest German stainless-steel alloys. On top of that, they can help you adapt an instrument to your specific needs or refurbish used instruments. Are you interested in the RRSSC-FST instrument selection for microsurgery? Have a look here

This training is aimed at participants who want to develop surgical skills in implanting telemetric transmitters. It requires a degree as a lab technician, veterinarian, biologist, pharmacologist or any other medical science.We recognize that a critical component to the success of collecting accurate physiological measurements via telemetry is surgical proficiency. Quality surgical training dramatically shortens the learning curve for device implantation and provides earlier success in collecting accurate data. To that end, Data Sciences International (DSI) in collaboration with the René Remie Surgical Skills Centre (RRSSC) proposes a surgical training workshop at the RRSSC. The workshop has a maximum of 8 participants. The training lasts 2 days (14 hours). Click here for additional information and registration

Kent Scientific (KSC) and RRSSC have joined forces to organize a 2-day workshop on anaesthesiology and surgical techniques. This training aims at participants who want more insight into administering injectable and inhalation anaesthetics while monitoring vital physiological parameters in rats and mice. The second day offers the possibility to learn or refine some basic (micro)surgical techniques. Researchers still work with conventional evaporators designed for humans and large laboratory animals. KSC designed the SomnoFlo®, a low-flow electronic vaporizer with an automated delivery system. It uses either ambient air with an internal air pump or compressed gas. It delivers only the anaesthetic required by the animal according to its weight, with flows down to 0.05 LPM. Using less anaesthetic benefits the animal during procedures and significantly reduces the risk of exposure to lab personnel from waste anaesthetic gas. Monitoring vital signs during research protocols is critical to achieving successful outcomes, acquiring reliable research data and publishing reproducible findings. The KSC physiological monitors for pulse oximetry, heart rate, end-tidal CO2, and temperature provide state-of-the-art performance while ensuring animal well-being. To that end, Kent Scientific, in collaboration with the RRSSC, proposes a training workshop at the RRSSC in Almere, The Netherlands. The training lasts two days (16 hours). The 2-day KSC/RRSSC workshop program can be found here. Course dates for 2024 will be May 7 – 8, 2024. If you want to register for this training, fill out the application form.

DSI and RRSSC offer 3-days training in the implantation of iPRECIO refillable and programmable infusion pumps on April 6-8, 2022 iPRECIO pumps can be completely implanted in small laboratory animals subcutaneously. Thus, the animal moves freely without any restraint (i.e. tethering) during drug infusion. Additionally, infection risk is reduced, and the animal is likely to be significantly less stressed than in a tethered infusion model. You can replenish any medical fluid in the pump via percutaneous access to the pump refill septum and reservoir after implantation of the pump. Therefore, long-term drug infusion can continue until the installed battery life has run out. The reservoir is elastic and configured in such a geometry as to allow gentle palpation to confirm an approximate level of fluid in the reservoir. Wireless programming allows all pumps to be conveniently detected, assigned, programmed and monitored via our IMS-310R iPRECIO Management system. Once completely programmed wirelessly, the iPRECIO SMP-310R Pumps will independently infuse as programmed until completed or aborted without further communications with the IMS-310R. The programmable feature will make iPRECIO® pumps indispensable for applications where accurate flow infusion, recovery/washout periods, constant/variable dose or complex circadian infusion studies are necessary. SMP-310R Pump’s Structure for mice For rats, The SMP-200 pump is available with the following specifications: The battery life is up to 6 months at a flow rate of 1.0μL/hr continuously.You can confirm the estimated battery life on the PC screen when you set the infusion protocol with the iPRECIO Management Software. Flow Rate Infusion Time Total Volume Time (h) days (approx) 30.0μL/hr 196 hr 1 week 5.8 ml 19.0μL/hr 307 hr 1.8 weeks 5.8 ml 8.5μL/hr 669 hr 1 Month 5.6 ml 1.0μL/hr 4,328 hr 6 Months 4.3 ml Do you want to see more? Have a look here. Interested in the training? Please fill …