Wearable Technology for Global Surgical Teleproctoring.

Area of Science:

• Global Surgery
• Surgical Education
• Health Technology

Background:

• Inguinal hernias pose a significant surgical burden in underserved regions.
• Traditional international surgical aid often relies on limited mission trips, lacking sustainable local system support.
• A need exists for standardized frameworks to enhance local surgical healthcare capacity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the feasibility of using wearable technology and web-based performance rating tools for long-term surgical proctoring in resource-poor international settings.
• To establish a sustainable surgical education model for empowering local surgeons.

Main Methods:

• Local surgeons in Paraguay and Brazil were trained in the Lichtenstein inguinal hernia repair using a standardized protocol.
• Surgeries were captured using Google Glass and streamed live for remote proctoring by international experts.
• The Lichtenstein-specific Operative Performance Rating Scale was used for ongoing remote evaluation.

Main Results:

• Live streaming of surgeries was successful with continuous internet connectivity.
• The Operative Performance Rating Scale facilitated immediate post-operative evaluation.
• Trained surgeons demonstrated proficiency after completing four cases.

Conclusions:

• A sustainable model for surgical training and proctoring is feasible using wearable technology and web-based communication.
• Empowering local surgeons and "training trainers" builds capacity in resource-poor locations.
• This approach offers a long-term solution to reduce the global burden of surgically-treatable diseases.