Training for pelvic surgery cross-disciplinary team in Japan

Gynecological organs are surrounded by gastrointestinal and urinary organs, and surgery in this area may require preservation or en bloc resection of these adjacent structures. In pelvic surgeries, differences in surgical terminology and anatomical recognition often arise, necessitating mutual understanding among disciplines. To promote shared understanding of surgical techniques and terminology in gynecology, gastrointestinal surgery, and urology, a multidisciplinary cadaver surgical training program was implemented. Between 2022 and 2024, a one-day training program using nine Thiel-embalmed cadavers was conducted at Fukushima Medical University. A total of 89 residents and specialists from the three disciplines participated. Each specialist performed a representative laparoscopic procedure—radical hysterectomy, cystectomy, or low anterior resection—with live demonstrations of anatomical structures and intraoperative terminology. A unified terminology table was created in advance to standardize and redefine surgical terms across specialties and distributed to all participants. Based on this table, terminology differences were reviewed and organized to establish a common understanding. Each specialty’s procedures revealed variations in anatomical landmarks and surgical terminology: gynecology emphasized the cardinal ligament and pelvic cavity, urology focused on autonomic nerves and vascular handling, and gastrointestinal surgery highlighted fascial planes. Redefinition of terminology using the unified table clarified interdepartmental differences and supported mutual understanding. This cross-disciplinary cadaver training enabled a redefinition of gynecological surgical anatomy for pelvic surgeons in other fields. Unifying surgical anatomical terminology may improve anatomical understanding and contribute to safer and more curative surgeries. This study found that anatomical understanding among pelvic surgery teams could be enhanced through cross-disciplinary cadaver training.