Remote Surgical Procedure Teaching With Annotated Live Video
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical procedures like arthroscopy are underutilized in developing countries due to lack of specialized training and equipment, leading to less effective treatments and increased disability and time out of work for patients.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for teaching surgical procedures remotely by transmitting live video of the procedure, surgical instruments, and annotating the video with annotations, enabling real-time interaction and training of individuals at a distant location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If one-on-one in-person guided training is used to teach surgical procedures, then training quality and skill transfer are improved, but availability and accessibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses video cameras to create visual copies of the surgical procedure and transmits them to remote locations. This allows multiple trainees to simultaneously access the same high-quality training content that would otherwise require multiple in-person sessions, resolving the contradiction between training quality and availability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions training from a single-dimensional in-person model to a multi-dimensional remote learning model using video transmission and communication systems. This enables trainees to access training from any location with internet connectivity, dramatically increasing availability while maintaining training quality through annotated videos and real-time interaction
2Adaptability or versatility
If simulators are used to increase availability of arthroscopy training, then accessibility is improved, but skill transfer to actual operating room performance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides preliminary exposure to actual surgical procedures through video transmission before trainees perform procedures themselves. By watching annotated videos of real surgeries and receiving real-time feedback, trainees gain preliminary understanding and confidence that translates better to actual operating room performance compared to simulator training
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates real-time feedback mechanisms where the operating surgeon can communicate with remote trainees during actual procedures. This direct feedback loop from experienced surgeons to trainees during real surgical cases significantly improves skill transfer compared to the isolated feedback available in simulator environments
3Measurement precision
If specialized training programs are implemented in developing countries, then surgical skill quality is improved, but cost and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal training system that can be deployed in various settings with different resource levels. The same video transmission and annotation platform can serve multiple trainees across different locations, eliminating the need for each facility to develop separate specialized training programs, thereby reducing overall resource requirements while maintaining skill quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows developing countries to access copies of high-quality surgical training content from leading centers without needing to invest in building equivalent specialized training infrastructure. This copying approach enables surgical skill quality improvement while minimizing local resource requirements for equipment and expert instructors
Data Source
AI summary
A method of teaching a surgical procedure includes transmitting a first video, from a first location to a second location remote from the first location, of a surgeon in an operating room performing the surgical procedure on a patient with at least one surgical instrument. The method also includes transmitting a second video, from the first location to the second location, of the surgical instrument during the surgical procedure, annotating the second video with at least one annotation, and transmitting, from the first location to the second location, the at least one annotation overlaid on the second video.