In April, a British surgeon will perform an operation during which he will wear 3D glasses allowing him to film and broadcast the images to the whole world.
On April 14 at 1 p.m., a London surgeon will perform a world first: film an operation in 360 degrees and transmit it to the whole world in real time thanks to virtual reality glasses. This bet is that of Dr. Shafi Ahmed, one of the first in surgery to have used this technology.
The patient is a 70-year-old man with colon cancer. The medical teams did not specify his name but assured that he was excited at the idea of his operation being broadcast internationally, indicate our British colleagues from the Guardian.
“Viewers” will be able to watch the operation on their smartphones via the Medical Realities sites, co-founded by the surgeon, and the Matavision streaming site. Several angles of view will be visible because several cameras will be placed around the operating table. The procedure should last between 2 and 3 hours.
Revolutionize learning
Dr. Shafi Ahmed’s goal is to innovate in education. Usually, surgical interns learn the gestures with their internship supervisor in the operating rooms. But thanks to this technology, it is possible to share surgical practices around the world.
The surgeon is not at his first attempt. In 2014, he filmed and broadcast the removal of a liver and stomach tumor in a 78-year-old patient. The operation was watched by more than 13,000 students and healthcare professionals in around 100 countries. During the operation, they could ask the surgeon questions. These were displayed on the screen of his Google Glass allowing him to respond live.
Eventually, the doctor would like to create a “virtual surgeon” course. He hopes that in 3 or 4 years it will be possible to create a virtual world in which one can grab a scalpel, make an incision and operate on a patient. All while really feeling the atmosphere of an operating theatre, the presence of a medical team and the noise of the machines. An immersion that should revolutionize learning by simulation.
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