The Boston Scientific Mobile Learning Lab visited the St. Peter’s Hospital campus on Thursday, September 19, offering clinical staff an opportunity to take part in high-tech, interactive demonstrations and hands-on learning featuring endosuturing equipment used in endobariatric procedures.
The lab, housed in an 18-wheeler truck, saw more than 25 nurses, technicians, and physicians from St. Peter’s Hospital pass through its doors. Demonstrations and trainings were provided on four stations, with staff increasing their comfort and facility with the equipment while practicing on inflated pig stomachs.
The learning lab has traveled throughout the country, offering a multidisciplinary learning opportunity at facilities where the endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) and Transoral outlet reduction (TORe) procedures are offered. The visit to St. Peter’s Hospital was the only visit in upstate and central New York, followed by a stop in New York City.
The first ESG in the Capital Region was performed earlier this year by Dr. Rohit Dhingra with Albany Gastroenterology Consultants (AGC)/4ward Wellness at St. Peter’s Hospital. ESG is an FDA-approved procedure performed using a suturing device, which is attached to an endoscope and inserted through the mouth and into the patient’s stomach. The endoscopist then places sutures into the stomach to make it 70-80% smaller. The procedure has a significantly shorter recovery time compared to traditional weight-loss surgeries and avoids external incisions/scarring to the patient’s skin.
