The utilization of microsurgical techniques in the surgical disciplines is
now accepted worldwide, and many surgeons should receive the opportunity of
learning these techniques. To meet this requirement, microsurgical courses
have been organized and comprise both theoretical aspects and, especially,
practical demonstrations. A one-week course usually allows attending surge
ons to get familiar with magnification and to perform microvascular anastom
oses, vasovasostomy, tubal reconstruction, sciatic nerve suture, and end-to
-side portacaval shunt, a useful exercise before dealing with rodent organ
transplantation. It is important to underline that the skill supplied by th
ese microsurgical courses is not enough to start clinical applications of m
icrosurgery; to this end, training must continue long after the course has
been finished.