Bulletin Spring‧Summer 1999

the lecture theatre. The workshop has become an important event on the i n t e r n a t i o n a l ca l endar o f e n d o s c o p y . S u r g e o ns a n d endoscopists come f r om all over the wo r l d to the Prince o f Wales H o s p i t a l to l e a r n the l a t e st advancement in this new branch of medicine. Since the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy (removal of the gall bladder through the umbilicus) i l l 1991, C U HK has held many workshops and training courses for doctors from Hong Kong, mainland China and Southeast Asia. As w i t h any new technology ， inevitabl y there w i l l be complications in the early phases of the learning curve. But what makes CUH K rightfully proud is that the incidence of such cases is far lower in Hong Kong than anywhere else ill the world, a reason being that doctors in the local hospitals and in private practice have been properly trained in these techniques. Materialization of a New Concept When asked which kinds of endoscopic surgery were first performed at CUHK , Prof. Chung recounted, ‘The first laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Hong Kong, the first splenectomy, the first vagotomy, the first colon resection, the first adrenal glan d removal...the list is endless.' He paused and said, ‘I don't think this is where the true significance lies. To experiment w i t h a concept almost no one believed in and to help develop it into somethin g in everyday use — that's the greatest achievement. ...to help doctors acquire the skill ， bring it home to their respective countries and regions, teach it to other doctors so that the greatest number of patients can benefit — that's the greatest success.' Building a New School of Public Health Tseung Kwan O a new town with a population o f over a hundred thousand. What health problems plague its residents? What type of medical care do they most need? Are there enough doctors? Are these doctors well trained? In October last year, the Department of Community and Family Medicine introduced th e 'Healthy Cities' project to evaluate the present and future demand for health services in Tseung Kwan O for the purposes of planning public medical, health, and rehabilitatio n services. In mid-1999 the Department launched another programme entitled ‘Healthy Schools', the first task of which was to offer a Professional Diploma Course in Healt h Promotion and Health Education which prepares teachers and school administrators for designing and implementing healt h education in schools, and promoting healt h in the school and home environments. Total Colonic Aganglionosis Total colonic aganglionosis is a congenital condition in whic h the whole length of the large bowel lacks normal nerve cells and normal bowel movement, thereby resulting in bowel obstruction. Traditionally this condition is managed by the creation of a stoma in the abdomen to divert faeces, followed by excision of the abnormal aganglionic large bowel and pullthrough of normal, ganglionic bowel down to the anus, then closure of the stoma. Surgery is staged and takes up to one and a half years. It also leaves multiple surgical scars on the abdomen. In laparoscopic surgery, four apertures each measuring 1cm in radius are created to allow the insertion of the endoscope and surgical equipment. The aganglionic large bowel is removed, and the ganglionic bowel is pulled through down to the anus. The whole process takes three hours. Chinese University Bulletin Spring • Summer 1999 22