Mobile technology for recording surgical procedures

Mobile technology has been advancing in countless directions, and in particular medicine has been an attractive place for mobile technology innovators. The recording of surgical procedures, however, has not been one of those directions, possibly because there is a lack of software specifically designed for recording open surgical procedures. Using an iPhone SE as the device to record video along with an app devised by one of the authors, five cases of various neck surgeries (two submandibular gland resections, two neck dissections, one neck dissection and supraglottic laryngectomy) were recorded. The authors were able to completely record four out of the five cases. One case was not recorded due to storage insufficiency on the device. The recorded images were evaluated by a jury comprised of three people, and according to their findings the image quality was of an acceptable level. The authors conclude that, with a specifically devised app and a smartphone with sufficient storage capacity, surgical video recordings are possible. Specific precautions will need to be taken to ensure the privacy of these medical records. Once that is done, it is possible to use a smartphone to provide a convenient and affordable way of recording surgical procedures.