Practical Cytology and Haematology

This practical two-day workshop is designed to give you a structured introduction to neurosurgery and confidence in performing key techniques relevant to spinal and neurological conditions. You will explore essential neuroanatomy, clinical localisation and imaging interpretation, before moving into guided practical sessions using neurosurgical instruments and approaches.

Through a blend of concise teaching and hands-on practice, you will learn to perform cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sampling, epidural injections and a range of decompressive procedures including thoracolumbar hemilaminectomy and fenestration, corpectomy, and lumbosacral dorsal laminectomy. You will also discuss surgical planning, patient positioning, anaesthesia considerations and post-operative care to help you integrate these techniques into your clinical practice.

By the end of the course, you should feel more confident in assessing and surgically managing common neurological cases and prepared to progress to more advanced neurosurgical training if desired.

Topics to be covered include:

• Neurological examination and lesion localisation
  
• Relevant neuroanatomy and surgical landmarks
  
• Interpretation of diagnostic imaging (radiography, myelography, CT/MRI)
  
• Surgical planning, patient positioning and monitoring
  
• Practical CSF sampling (cisternal and lumbar) and epidural injection techniques
  
• Thoracolumbar spinal decompression: hemilaminectomy and fenestration
  
• Thoracolumbar vertebral corpectomy approaches
  
• Lumbosacral dorsal laminectomy and discectomy
  
• Handling neurosurgical instruments with confidence
  
• Post-operative care and management of complications