The north east flap course

Abstract

Flaps are a method of covering defects and are part of the standard reconstructive armamentarium of plastic and maxillofacial surgeons. There are two main courses in the United Kingdom covering flap surgery: the north east flap course, based in Newcastle; and the Canniesburn practical course on the use of flaps in reconstructive microsurgery, based in Glasgow. The north east flap course is run by the Department of Anatomy at the University of Newcastle in conjunction with surgeons from the University Hospital of North Durham and the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough. The course director is Matt Erdmann, a consultant hand and plastic surgeon, and the faculty consists of other senior plastic surgeons. I attended the 2009 course at the Department of Anatomy and Clinical Skills Centre in the University of Newcastle Medical School, adjacent to the Royal Victoria Infirmary. I feel that one must have adequate operating experience to benefit fully from this course—that is, be at registrar level or …