AAGL (originally named American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists) is a

professional association A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) usually seeks to advocacy, further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that professio ...

of laparoscopic surgeons dedicated to the research and advancement of minimally invasive

gynecologic Gynaecology or gynecology (see spelling differences) is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, forming the combined are ...

procedures. AAGL was founded by Jordan M. Phillips, M.D., in 1971 as the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists. It later switched to using just the acronym to reflect its international scope, and currently it has over 8,000 members spread over 110 countries. The laparoscope, a form of

endoscope An endoscope is an inspection instrument composed of image sensor, optical lens, light source and mechanical device, which is used to look deep into the body by way of openings such as the mouth or anus. A typical endoscope applies several modern t ...

, often allows

surgery Surgery ''cheirourgikē'' (composed of χείρ, "hand", and ἔργον, "work"), via la, chirurgiae, meaning "hand work". is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a person to investigate or treat a pat ...

to be done with smaller incisions and faster

recovery Recovery or Recover may refer to: Arts and entertainment Books * ''Recovery'' (novel), a Star Wars e-book * Recovery Version, a translation of the Bible with footnotes published by Living Stream Ministry Film and television * ''Recovery'' (fil ...

(that is, in a

minimally invasive Minimally invasive procedures (also known as minimally invasive surgeries) encompass surgical techniques that limit the size of incisions needed, thereby reducing wound healing time, associated pain, and risk of infection. Surgery by definition ...

way) compared with older

open Open or OPEN may refer to: Music * Open (band), Australian pop/rock band * The Open (band), English indie rock band * ''Open'' (Blues Image album), 1969 * ''Open'' (Gotthard album), 1999 * ''Open'' (Cowboy Junkies album), 2001 * ''Open'' (YF ...

techniques. The society has held dialogues, discussed and shared views on minimally invasive procedures.

Meetings

AAGL provides a number of Continuing Medical Education (CME) events to its members throughout the year, including the AAGL Global Congress on Minimally Invasive Gynecology held each November.

Publications

AAGL publishes the advancements in

laparoscopy Laparoscopy () is an operation performed in the abdomen or pelvis using small incisions (usually 0.5–1.5 cm) with the aid of a camera. The laparoscope aids diagnosis or therapeutic interventions with a few small cuts in the abdomen.Medli ...

and other conference proceedings in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, a part of AAGL.

Affiliations

AAGL has over 40 collaborations with sister societies around the world which include the North America, South America, European Union, Africa, Australasia & Asia. The society corroborates international relationship as a means to promote the art of training and free knowledge flow through partnership and collaboration.

Debate

Hysterectomy Hysterectomy is the surgical removal of the uterus. It may also involve removal of the cervix, ovaries (oophorectomy), Fallopian tubes (salpingectomy), and other surrounding structures. Usually performed by a gynecologist, a hysterectomy may b ...

:In January 2014, there was a debate in relation to a Minimally Invasive

procedure called

Uterine The uterus (from Latin ''uterus'', plural ''uteri'') or womb () is the hollow organ, organ in the female reproductive system, reproductive system of most female mammals, including humans that accommodates the embryonic development, embryonic an ...

Morcellation. Morcellation involves using of a powered device to grind the tumor/fibroid into smaller pieces. The pieces are later removed through small incisions. The in house editors at

Lancet Oncology ''The Lancet'' is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal and one of the oldest of its kind. It is also the world's highest-impact academic journal. It was founded in England in 1823. The journal publishes original research articles, ...

had stated the use of morcellation to pose risks ten times higher to normal surgery. However, many doctors & members of other societies have defended the procedure by stating the risks to be 1-in-400 to 1-in-1000. The message board of AAGL had been the forefront of the debate till association decided to call off the debate because of the controversy. As per the leader of AAGL, they were preparing a paper investigating the risks in relation hysterectomy.

References

External links