Patna: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Patna on Friday inaugurated AVBODHAN 2026, a three-day national academic programme on endoscopic skull base surgery, marking what the institute described as Eastern India’s first comprehensive hands-on training course in the speciality.
The programme, which began on July 31, will continue until August 2. It is being organised by the Department of ENT in collaboration with the Departments of Anatomy and Forensic Medicine at AIIMS Patna and the Department of Anatomy at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), under the aegis of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India (AOI), Bihar and Jharkhand.
Focus on Advanced Surgical Training
According to AIIMS Patna, the workshop is among the first structured cadaver-based training programmes on endoscopic skull base surgery in Eastern India. It has been designed to equip ENT surgeons, neurosurgeons and postgraduate trainees with practical skills and advanced knowledge for managing complex skull base disorders.
The curriculum focuses on minimally invasive surgical techniques used to treat pituitary tumours, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks, sinonasal malignancies and other complex cranial conditions.
Inaugural Session
The inaugural session was held under the guidance of Raju Agarwal, Executive Director of AIIMS Patna, who highlighted the importance of continuous skill development and multidisciplinary collaboration in advancing patient care.
The academic programme is being led by Kranti Bhavana, Professor and Head of the Department of ENT, and Vijay Kumar, Assistant Professor in the Department of ENT at AIIMS Patna.
Scientific Sessions and Faculty
The opening day featured keynote lectures, interactive panel discussions, operative video sessions and three-dimensional anatomical demonstrations aimed at providing participants with a detailed understanding of skull base anatomy and endoscopic surgical approaches.
The workshop has been awarded 12 Continuing Medical Education (CME) credit points by the Bihar Council of Medical Registration (BCMR), reflecting its academic significance.
Faculty members from several leading healthcare institutions across the country are participating in the programme, including PGIMER Chandigarh, AIIMS Jodhpur, SGPGIMS Lucknow, Apollo Hospitals Chennai, Max Super Speciality Hospital Delhi, Goa ENT Centre and SRM Prime Chennai.
The faculty includes Ramandeep Virk, Amit Goyal, Kiruba Shankar, M. Ravi Shankar, Arulalan Mathialagan, Rajeev Kapila, Govind Bhuskute, Jaskaran Singh Gosal, Sumit Mrig and Jithin Shaji. AIIMS Patna’s Neurosurgery department is also represented by Vikas Jha and Saraj Kumar Singh.
Promoting Multidisciplinary Care
The organisers said the programme aims to strengthen collaboration between ENT surgeons and neurosurgeons by providing a common academic platform for training and knowledge exchange, with the goal of improving outcomes for patients with complex cranial disorders.
More than 100 ENT surgeons, neurosurgeons, postgraduate residents and medical professionals from across the country are participating in AVBODHAN 2026, making it one of the largest skull base surgery training programmes organised in Eastern India, according to AIIMS Patna.
