Telementoring between Brazil and the United States: initial experience

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Surgical Robotics
• Telemedicine

Background:

• Telementored and telepresence surgery enable remote surgical guidance.
• Previous reports have documented transcontinental telementored urologic procedures.
• This study assesses novel applications of telemedicine in surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and feasibility of transcontinental telementored and telepresence surgery.
• To demonstrate the effectiveness of telemedicine in guiding complex urologic procedures.
• To explore the potential of remote surgical mentoring across continents.

Main Methods:

• Two distinct urologic procedures were performed: laparoscopic bilateral varicocelectomy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy.
• A mentoring surgeon utilized a telesurgical station with a personal computer, video coder/decoder, and communication board.
• Robotic systems (AESOP 3000 and PAKY) were employed for laparoscope control and percutaneous needle placement, respectively.

Main Results:

• Both transcontinental telementored procedures were successfully completed.
• The laparoscopic varicocelectomy had a 25-minute operative time with minimal blood loss; the patient recovered fully with no recurrence at 3 months.
• The percutaneous nephrolithotomy was uneventful, achieving first-pass renal access; the patient was stone-free at 3 months.

Conclusions:

• Transcontinental telementored and telepresence surgery can be performed safely and effectively.
• Novel surgical techniques utilizing telemedicine demonstrate significant potential for remote surgical guidance.
• These cases highlight the successful application of telemedicine technology in diverse urologic procedures.