Rural surgeons would embrace surgical telementoring for help with difficult cases and acquisition of new skills

Abstract

Surgical telementoring is on the verge of widespread use but industry and surgical societies remain ambivalent about supporting its implementation due to concerns over lack of interest. This study demonstrates interest among rural surgeons. While there are differing opinions regarding compensation of the telementoring, the most common, single interest in the use of surgical telementoring was for learning new techniques or skill sets.

Demonstration of the Effectiveness of Augmented Reality Telesurgery in Complex Hand Reconstruction in Gaza

“…These issues were resolved by the use of a novel AR-assisted telesurgery solution in which a remote surgeon from the Conflict Medicine Program at the American University of Beirut, which specializes in providing assistance and training to health professionals in areas of conflict, was able to virtually “scrub in,” guide, mentor and support the local surgeon using a portable tablet device. Although video teleconferencing technology has been successfully used for telementoring in alternative settings previously, 2 it is currently limited in its application to live surgery. In contrast, AR allows the remote surgeon to outline, in a stepwise fashion, the necessary procedural steps using a combination of hand gestures, annotations, diagrams, and clinical imaging.…”

Augmented Reality und Virtual Reality im Operationssaal – Status Quo und Quo vadis

“…Die mögliche Konsultation via Telemonitoring wird dabei einer Umfrage unter Mitgliedern des American College of Surgeons (ACS) zu Folge, die überwiegend in ländlichen Regionen aktiv sind, in fast 80 % der Fälle begrüßt. Dies wohlgemerkt unabhängig von der beruflichen Erfahrung des jeweilig Befragten [29]. Ein übergeordnetes Interesse der Befragten besteht dabei im Erlernen neuer Operationstechniken und der intraoperativen Konsultation.…”

“…Ein übergeordnetes Interesse der Befragten besteht dabei im Erlernen neuer Operationstechniken und der intraoperativen Konsultation. Insbesondere durch die Möglichkeit der Konsultation eines oder mehrerer externer Experten bei unerwarteten intraoperativen Befunden erfährt das Telemonitoring hier großen Zuspruch [29].…”

“…Unter Berücksichtigung der Studie von Glenn et al am Beispiel des Telemonitorings zeigt sich zudem, dass neben dem Interesse und der Bereitschaft unabhängig vom Ausbildungsgrad neue technologische Verfahren anzunehmen, bereits seit Jahrzenten eine gewisse Handlungslücke bestanden hat, die jetzt durch das Telemonitoring ggf. in Kombination mit VR oder AR geschlossen werden könnte [29]. Im Falle einer intraoperativen Konsultation von externen Experten oder der Hinzunahme von dreidimensionalen Bildmaterialien ist von einer verbesserten operativen Versorgung auszugehen und damit Grund genug der AR und VR offen zu begegnen.…”

The Role of Augmented Reality Telesurgery in Promoting Equity in Global Surgery

“…Within this model, surgical residents (the surgeons of 2030), would cement these relationships through training rotations in rural centers (and the high-income academic medical center if feasible), with the LMIC academic medical center as their hub, as it is in the AR model. Exposing trainees to rural surgery, while ensuring adequate clinical support, mentorship, and continued professional development (CPD) is more likely to encourage their interest in a rural practice than financial incentives, bonding, or scholarships [1,17,18]. AR telesurgery has an important role in reducing the professional isolation of these (future) rural surgeons.…”