Residents gain hands-on experience with world-class skull base surgeons
In the days leading up to International Skull Base Surgery Day celebrated on June 4, residents from the Departments of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and the Division of Neurosurgery at SIU School of Medicine participated in a highly valuable learning experience—a two-day seminar led by some of the nation’s top skull base surgeons.
The seminar blended immersive, skills lab training with in-depth lectures, giving residents a chance to learn directly from internationally recognized leaders from both SIU Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic. This intensive training is part of SIU Medicine’s ongoing commitment to shaping the next generation of surgeons through a blend of academic excellence and hands-on experience.
The course was led by SIU’s own endoscopic skull base team: Dr. Kody Bolk and Dr. Dana Crosby, from the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Rhinology and Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery, alongside the Division of Neurosurgery. SIU Medicine was also honored to host two visiting professors, an endoscopic skull base team from the Cleveland Clinic: Dr. Raj Sindwani, Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Rhinology and Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery, and Dr. Pablo Recinos, Neurosurgery.
Teams made up of Otolaryngology residents and Neurosurgery residents had the opportunity to practice endoscopic skull base surgery using advanced surgical equipment equivalent to the tools used every day in the operating room. The residents were able to collaborate and practice techniques necessary for safe and effective removal of pituitary tumors and other tumors or di
sease processes around the base of the skull through the nasal cavity and sinuses. This hands-on environment allowed residents to build technical skills and clinical confidence in a safe space, under the guidance of specialists who are setting international standards for endoscopic procedures. This type of learning experience will set SIU residents up for success throughout their educational journey.
Endoscopic skull base surgery is a rare example of true team surgery in medicine as it requires an Otolaryngologist who is trained in rhinology and skull base surgery and a neurosurgeon trained in endoscopic techniques to work simultaneously to optimize patient outcomes. The importance of teamwork between the specialties of Rhinology and Neurosurgery to improve patient outcomes was a theme of this event. We are proud to have outstanding endoscopic skull base surgeons at SIU Medicine to provide the most advanced care for our patients.
A key component of this skills lab was the use of cadavers, which provided residents with an unparalleled opportunity to practice and apply what they’ve learned in a realistic surgical setting. SIU Medicine deeply honors and respects the individuals and families who choose to donate to science. Their generosity makes this level of education possible, and their legacy lives on in every life these future surgeons will touch.
This event exemplifies SIU Medicine’s commitment to surgical education. SIU medicine has long emphasized the role of high-fidelity skills lab and simulation training in the education of future physicians.
