About ACW

The Anatomy of Complications Workshop aims to improve the performance of specialist obstetricians and gynaecologists in “the area of  the prevention and management of complications in obstetric and gynaecological surgery”.

The two-day workshops are an intensive, hands-on learning experience conducted in state-of-the-art facilities, in Perth, Western Australia. There are ‘open’ and ‘laparoscopic’ iterations of the workshop.

Each is comprised of 3 sessions:

  • an “anatomy refresher” combined with surgical skills development surgical dissection of pelvic anatomy using fresh frozen cadavers. The use of fresh cadavers gives a very realistic and valuable surgical experience. Utilising the bladder, ureters, bowel and vessels to demonstrate repair techniques.
  • live animal surgery, practicing repair techniques including the control of heamorrhage in anaesthetised, live ewes
  • case presentations and discussion

The workshops are held in Perth, Western Australia, on a Friday and Saturday.

Dr Robyn Leake, Clin Assoc Prof Krish Karthigasu and Professor Yee Leung are the convenors of this workshop. We are supported by a team of  highly valued facilitators, without whom the course could not be run. The convenors host dinner on the Friday evening straight after the course at a nearby restaurant, to encourage participants and facilitators to continue to get to know each other and to fuel up for the early start on Saturday.

This is a non-profit workshop and the conveners and facilitators are not remunerated. The cost of the workshop aims to covers the material expenses for the use of the various facilities, equipment, and refreshments. Any surplus monies are used to fund the Taylor Hammond Research Scholarship and the ACW Pacific Scholarship.

Click here for more detailed information on the open workshop. It is a prerequisite that those registering for the laparoscopic workhop have completed the open version.