Real-time telementoring with 3D drawing annotation in robotic surgery

Area of Science:

• Robotic Surgery
• Medical Education
• Surgical Telementoring

Background:

• Traditional telementoring methods, such as voice or 2D annotations, may be insufficient for conveying complex spatial information in robotic surgery due to the three-dimensional (3D) nature of anatomical structures.
• Effective communication is crucial for successful surgical guidance, especially when instructors and trainees are geographically separated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of telementoring utilizing 3D drawing annotations in robotic surgery compared to traditional methods.
• To determine if 3D annotations enhance surgical performance, reduce operation time, and improve trainee comprehension.

Main Methods:

• A telementoring system using a Saroa™ surgical robot was established between Kyushu University and Beppu Hospital.
• Twenty medical students performed vertical mattress suturing on swine intestinal tracts under remote guidance.
• Surgical guidance was delivered via voice, 2D, and 3D drawing annotations, with all methods evaluated for operation time, needle movement, and overall performance using the Global Evaluated Assessment of Robot Skills (GEARS).

Main Results:

• The 3D annotation group demonstrated a trend towards shorter operation times and fewer procedural retries compared to the control group.
• Participants using 3D annotations showed a significant improvement in GEARS scores, indicating enhanced robotic surgical skills.
• 3D annotations resulted in significantly better performance outcomes compared to both voice and 2D annotation methods.

Conclusions:

• Telementoring with 3D drawing annotations offers a superior method for surgical guidance in robotic procedures.
• This advanced annotation technique improves trainee comprehension and leads to more efficient and effective surgical operations.
• 3D drawing annotations represent a valuable advancement in remote surgical training and education.