Newcastle University

Aims

The module aims to provide the students with a basic insight into the major clinical issues and practices in solid organ transplantation above the diaphragm. The module focuses on heart, lung and heart -lung transplantation in adults but will also include information on paediatric transplantation.

Outline Of Syllabus

The module will be delivered in a series of lectures and short seminars concentrating on the main issues in heart and lung transplantation in adults but it will also discuss heart transplantation in children and combined heart-lung transplantation. There will be opportunities for discussion in the lectures and there will be some overlap between the two study areas - hearts and lungs and between this module and the earlier modules TRX8001 and TRX8002 - though every effort will be taken to keep this to a minimum and to use this where it is an important aspect of the module for discussion only. Students will learn about the basic procedures as applied in clinical transplantation from preoperative considerations to post operative care and future developments.

The syllabus concentrates on Heart, Heart/Lung and Lung Transplantion. There are series of lectures and seminars however in this module the two elements heart and lung are not separated but run in an intermixed fashion.


The syllabus comprises:

1. Endstage heart failure & indications for transplantation (and the role of Ventricular assist device VADs)
2. Endstage lung failure & indications for transplantation
3. Assessment of patients for heart transplantation and management
4. Assessment of patients for lung transplantation and management

Seminar 1

5. Role of the recipient coordinator in Heart and lung Transplantation (recipient donor selection and organ allocation)
6. Donor assessment and optimisation (inc Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion EVLP + Donation After Cardiac Death DCD)
7. Surgical aspects – retrieval techniques, implantation - heart
8. Surgical aspects – retrieval techniques, implantation - lung/heart-lung

Seminar 2

9. Immunosuppression in heart transplantation and follow-up
10. Immunosuppression in lung transplantation and follow-up
11. Early post-operative care - heart
12. Early post-operative care - lung
13. Patient education + nursing issues      
14. Late problems - heart
15. Late problems - lung
16. Paediatric transplantation – special consideration realting to paediatric transplantation
17. Psychological issues and compliance
18. New developments

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

There is a considerable amount of specialist knowledge in this module which is subdivided into three sections in the syllabus. Each of these comprises a series of face-to-face lectures with opportunities for discussion and question and answer sessions followed by a seminar which will be used to clarify and cement this knowledge base. Students are expected to read widely on the subject and also reflect on the module and the application of this knowledge to clinical practice. Given the nature of the subject "clinical transplantation" - governance and ethics are present throughout the module.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

There will be three in-course assessments.

The first of these will be incorporated into the first seminar and will involve a written excercise in data interpretation based on the previous lectures. This will include case studies, laboratory data etc. This tests the students' basic knowledge and ability to apply knowledge in real situations.

The second assessment will be a (Powerpoint) presentation on a topic chosen by the student from a selection of topics supplied by the module leaders. This gives the student a chance to demonstrate critical skills and knowledge and understanding. The assessment also tests the students' presentation skills.

The third assessment will be a 2000 word essay on a topic set by the module leaders and examines nowledge and understanding as well as the students' critical skills and their ability to produce written materials at Masters level.