Since the Internet became widespread, immediate access to information has been obtained. Now it is possible to stay informed in real time of what is happening anywhere in the world. While for the health professions the same thing happens. Patient care is now quite different than it was a couple of decades ago. pFrom aspects that are already common, such as the use of electronic medical records, to more advanced ones that are on the rise, such as telesurgery.
The above examples illustrate instant access to information and data even though the Covid-19 crisis proved that connecting is now more important than ever. People come with more than just information or factual data: they add knowledge, experience, and a human touch to medical problems.
As a result, telemedicine has been promoted in various ways, and hospitals are increasingly seeking technologies that allow them to stay connected with patients and staff despite the challenges.
Mode of operation that is increasing
Francisco Fandiño, Sales Director Latin America at Boat, explains that the “idea of remote surgical work was closely related to robotic surgery, which has been around for several decades. While the concept of ‘telesurgery’ describes the possibility of performing surgeries remotely, with the surgeon and the patient in different places”.
In this mode, the surgeon controls a robot that is with the patient in the operating room and thus performs the procedure remotely. The world’s first remote surgery was successfully completed in 2001 and was a laparoscopic cholecystectomy on a patient in France performed via robot by a surgical team in New York.
The goal is that telesurgery can be performed in this way in hard-to-reach areas, such as remote rural locations, war zones, or even on astronauts in space. Even so, there are some challenges such as a delay in the transfer time (called latency) and the absence of haptic feedback. For both, the technology is improving to speed up transfer times and simulate tactile feedback.
According to Fandiño, there is still more to remote surgery than robotic telesurgery. He says the question isn’t always whether the surgeon can get to the patient because sometimes it’s about the surgeon being with the patient in the operating room, but not having access to the expertise they need. Or students can’t watch a surgery in the actual operating room because it’s too far away. In those cases the surgeon is physically with the patient but could use “instant access” to people who are not there.
Main advantages
Remote work is already everywhere, so why couldn’t it be used in surgery? The situations that lend themselves to this are abundant:
- Surgeons can consult experts when necessary.
- Novice surgeons can get remote guidance from more experienced colleagues.
- Students could attend more types of procedures, in greater numbers than is possible in the physical OR (and each getting a front-row seat).
- New technologies and surgical material could be evaluated in vivo as they are used.
- Sales representatives from medical device companies can perform remote demonstrations or virtually “scrub” and walk with the surgeon when using new material for the first time.
- Major surgeries can be performed live for an audience.
A virtual presence solution for the OR removes some of the hassle that comes with travel, strict planning, physical constraints in the OR, and the need to quickly learn new technologies and devices.
In short, remote collaboration during surgery offers surgeons a flexible environment for support, consultation and teaching, when and where they need it. Just as office workers hold hybrid meetings with colleagues, and airports and ports offer communication support for pilots and captains, surgeons can use collaboration solutions to maximize their results.