Italy

Welcome to the Italian ESCP web page

The Italian health-care system delivers public care to anyone who is legally resident in Italy.

The Italian University system, by means of post-graduate schools, provides education and training in General Surgery, which is similar to the training received by a surgeon with a special interest in Colorectal Surgery. There is no formal specialty in Colorectal Surgery as such, therefore master's degrees and courses, are regulated by the single Medical Schools/Universities and/or Scientific Societies.

In the Italian health-care system there are several Coloproctology Units, all depending from a Department of General Surgery. A Specialist in Colorectal Surgery is a Specialist in General Surgery, and his training and interests develop from General Surgery into Coloproctology.

At present, there is general agreement on the need to develop an officially recognised training, in order to deliver optimal health care and to take into account the growing plea for an approach driven by surgical guidelines. Thus, a rearrangement of Coloproctology, a reappraisal of the master's degree courses held so far, and a nationwide coordination of colorectal education (given some autonomy to each University / Medical School) should all be achieved.

Population: 60,387,000.

ESCP Members: 54

ESCP Representative Name: Filippo La Torre, MD (2010-2013)

Achievements

Within the ESCP, Italy has a high number of members (54), and takes part to the governing bodies. Prof. Giovanni Romano is a past- president of ESCP and a member of the scientific committee, while Prof. Aldo Infantino takes part to the web committee. Prof. Donato Altomare is Assistant Program Committee Chairman.

In Italy, since 1981, there has been a movement to join and merge all scientific, medical, and surgical associations with an interest in colorectal conditions. Since then, albeit alternating periods of good and bad fortune, scientific production, education, and number of specialists in coloproctology have all increased. This process has been long and not uneventful, but the scientific and professional value of those professionals who are engaged in this specialty, have dramatically reduced the differences between this and other countries, where Coloproctology was developed one century before.

Currently there are two Italian scientific societies in Coloproctology. These are: SICCR (Italian Society of Colo-Rectal Surgery, counting 778 members, and 61 Coloproctology Units), and the SIUCP (Italian Unitary Society of Coloproctology, counting around 100 Coloproctology Units, spread nationwide, and delegates for each or groups of two or more Italian Regions).

These two scientific societies promote education and training by means of national congresses, courses and meetings both at a Regional and at a National level.

The SICCR web site (6,673 contacts in the year 2011) has contributed to spreading information to the Italian members also by means of publishing (e.g. 16 newsletters in 2011), and by establishing up a Video Section, and a Dictionary (www.siccr.org).

SICCR - Current Research

Italian colorectal surgeons have taken part and are paricipating to National and International research Trials on colorectal issues both as single researchers and/or as a society.

At present, the following studies are in progress:

1. J- POUCH vs STRAIGHT- multicentre randomised study “reconstruction with J- Pouch Vs direct colorectal anastomosis following low anterior resection of cancer of the rectum: impact on anastomotic dehiscence, bowel function, and quality of life".

2. Prospective randomised multicentre study on acute diverticulitis.

3. THD vs PPH in 3rd degree haemorrhoids. Multicentre randomised study in press.

4. Treatment of chronic anal fissure with GNT. Prospective randomised Trial.

5. Pilot study regarding the use of Tachosil for the protection of colorectal anastomosis.

6. Prospective multicentre study on GORE - BIO in anal fistulae.

7. Prospective multicentre study on HEEA for 3rd degree haemorrhoids.

Guidelines on CA anus: in press.

Guidelines on anal fistulae: under developement.

SICCR - Future Plans

For the year 2012 a School of Proctology and a School of Ultrasound Imaging of the Pelvic Floor have been started up, as well as a Course in Coloproctology of Vercelli.

The following events have been planned for 2012:

• Annual Meeting of UCP Coordinatores & Regional Representatives, Chianciano, 26th May 2012

• UCP Training 'Low Ventral Rectcolpopexy in V-L' - San Vito al Tagliamento (PN), 31th May - 1st June 2012

• 1st Interregional SICCR CongressCalabria & Sicily 'Pelvic Floor Dysfunction' - Cosenza, 8th June 2012

• Post-graduate Course in Methodology of Research in Surgery, Rome 10th-12nd September 2012

• Integrated multidisciplinary course in diagnostics of the pelvic floor (SICCR- AIUG), 14th September - Giussano (MB)

• Regional SICCR Congress Puglia & Basilicata - 'Anal fistola' - 24th October 2012

• 3rd Interregional SICCR Congress Liguria - Piemonte - Lombardia - 10th November 2012 Sanremo.

• Educational Colorectal Meeting 'Pelvic Floor Dysfunction' in joint with AIUG, San Marino, 30th November - 2nd December 2012.