UC Irvine surgeons honored at world urology conference

Drs. Jason Lee, Elspeth McDougall and Donald Pick of UC Irvine's Department of Urology were recognized for their contributions to the field at the World Congress of Endourology in September. A paper by Lee and McDougall on the impact of preoperative warm-up exercises on surgical performance in urology was named best among the 900 presented. Their study demonstrated that engaging in 20 minutes of preoperative tasks on surgical simulators improves a surgeon's performance during a live laparoscopic, or minimally invasive, operation. Pick won first place in the Endourological Society's basic science research essay contest for identifying methods to improve instrument access during kidney stone removal by relaxing the ureter. This could allow larger-diameter instruments to be used, shortening surgery and expediting healing.