Do patients want to see recordings of their surgery?

In an effort to improve patients' understanding and perception of their surgery and communication between doctors and patients we have evaluated the use of a mobile digital video recorder in the case of women undergoing gynaecological surgery.

Patients scheduled for endoscopic or open surgery were asked if they would allow their surgery be recorded on a dedicated computer system. Those who agreed were offered the opportunity to have real-time edited highlights of their surgery recorded simultaneously on a miniature digital video recorder. They were shown the edited recording before discharge from hospital, and their reaction was assessed using a structured questionnaire.

51/54 (94.4%) women agreed to their surgery being recorded on the computer system, and 37/54 (68.5%) asked to see the edited highlights. The median duration of the computer and portable recordings for the 37 patients was 90 min (range 2-280) and 3.3 min (range 1-13.6) respectively. Thirty-four (91.9%) reported that the edited recording gave them a better understanding of their medical condition and surgery. Thirty (81.1%) would have liked a copy of the recording.

Portable video recorders are a convenient tool for recording surgical procedures. In our experience, about two-third of patients are interested in reviewing their surgery and find it provides useful information and a perceived better understanding of their condition. As these recording devices are small and fit into a pocket, their use could easily become a routine part of post-operative ward rounds. For the surgeon, such recordings have an educational value and provide the basis for a library of surgery as well as being useful when planning future management or for referral purposes.