Telesurgery. Acceptability of compressed video for remote surgical proctoring.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the clinical acceptability of various levels of video compression for remote proctoring of laparoscopic surgical procedures.


METHODS
Observational, controlled study.


METHODS
Community-based teaching hospital.


METHODS
Physician and nurse observers.


METHODS
Controlled surgical video scenes were subjected to various levels of data compression for digital transmission and display and shown to participant observers.


METHODS
Clinical acceptability of video scenes after application of video compression.


RESULTS
Clinically acceptable video compression was achieved with a 1.25-megabit/second data rate, with the use of odd-screen 43.3:1 Joint Photographic Expert Group compression and a small screen for remote viewing.


CONCLUSIONS
With proper video compression, remote proctoring of laparoscopic procedures may be performed with standard 1.5-megabit/second telecommunication data lines and services.
Hiatt
J R
JR
Department of Surgery, Cedars-Sinai Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, Calif, USA.
Shabot
M M
MM
Phillips
E H
EH
Haines
R F
RF
Grant
T L
TL
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D013664:Teaching Materials; D013685:Telecommunications / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States