Potential for remote hands-on training system for colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Training

Background:

• Hands-on training is vital for endoscopic skills but challenging to translate online.
• Online colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) training has been implemented since 2020.
• This study evaluates a remote hands-on training program for colorectal ESD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a remote hands-on training program for colorectal ESD.
• To determine if online training can adequately impart complex endoscopic skills.
• To evaluate participant satisfaction and willingness for future remote training.

Main Methods:

• A wired 50 Mbps connection linked a central facility to 3 remote sites.
• A 4-screen Picture-in-Picture (PinP) video system streamed real-time demonstrations (hand, scope, posture, endoscopic views).
• Participants completed structured 70-minute sessions including time trials with the Scope handling Training (ST) kit, endoscope practice, and hands-on ESD with artificial models, receiving expert instruction via the PinP system.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in ST kit time trials post-training (89.3s to 49.4s).
• No detectable audio or video delays ensured seamless interaction.
• 94% of participants expressed interest in future remote training sessions.

Conclusions:

• Remote hands-on training can deliver high-quality instruction for complex procedures like colorectal ESD.
• This approach offers training opportunities for physicians in remote areas, reducing travel and costs.
• The program shows potential as a future educational tool for endoscopic submucosal dissection training.