Fife simulator helping medics across the world to prevent late miscarriage and premature labour

A new training aid, developed in Fife, is helping to equip trainee medical staff from around the world with the skills to prevent late miscarriage and premature labour.

It was invented by Dr Graham Tydeman, consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology at Kirkcaldy’s Victoria Hospital, in conjunction with the St Thomas’ Hospital, London, and Limbs and Things.

The lifelike simulator allows trainees to perform hands on cervical cerclage in advance of a real-life emergency. The procedure involves an emergency stitching around the cervix and is necessary when the cervix shortens or opens too early during pregnancy, helping to prevent late miscarriage or extreme premature labour.

It is not a common event and the simulator was developed by Dr Tydeman following a request from medical trainees across the UK.

The device has already been warmly received by hospitals and training institutions across the world – with orders from countries including New Zealand and India.

Dr Tydeman said: “The reason this was developed is that it is not a common procedure and is very difficult to teach trainees."

“Increasingly women are understandably asking  about the experience of their surgeon and anyone having this procedure understandably does not want it to be the first one that a doctor has ever done because if it goes wrong there could be tragic consequences with loss of the baby. However, if a trainee has shown suitable skills using this simulator, I would be able to confidently reassure women that the doctor had been adequately trained, although a more experienced person would always help during the actual operation for the first few procedures on real women."

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Source: The Courier, 19 December 2020