I recently attended a Microsurgical Course run by Professor René Remie at the Surgical Skills Centre in Almere Stad, Netherlands where I received first class training in microsurgical techniques performed on the Rat using a Leica Microscope. The operating station was set up to a high quality and there were many books and papers available for reference. I was initially trained on a ‘Latex rubber’ Rat complemented with lectures received in the morning each day on all other subjects relevant to surgery such as Equipment, Anaesthesia, Asepsis and Anatomy that was demonstrated on a larger than life anatomical rat model. This gave me the background training required so that I could then proceed to undertake the techniques that I had learnt ‘In-Vivo’. Professor René Remie was extremely helpful and friendly and would demonstrate any technique specifically requested. I would recommend that anyone working in the scientific field who is interested in performing surgery or is currently performing surgery on Laboratory Animals should definately attend this course. They will obtain many new ideas with a wealth of information as I did. René’s skilled teaching on the art of performing microsurgery combined with his huge concern for animal welfare enabled me to receive the best training and to become proficient on my required specialist techniques by the end of the course.
