title: Telementoring during endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms: a prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the use of telementoring for distant teaching and training in endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR).
  
  
  METHODS
  According to a prospectively designed study protocol, 48 patients underwent EVAR: the first 12 patients (group A) were treated at a secondary care center by an experienced interventionist, who was training the local team; a further 12 patients (group B) were operated by the local team at their secondary center with telementoring by the experienced operator from an adjacent suite; and the last 24 patients (group C) were operated by the local team with remote telementoring support from the experienced interventionist at a tertiary care center. Telementoring was performed using 3 video sources; images were transmitted using 4 ISDN lines. EVAR was performed using intravascular ultrasound and simultaneous fluoroscopy to obtain road mapping of the abdominal aorta and its branches, as well as for identifying the origins of the renal arteries, assessing the aortic neck, and monitoring the attachment of the stent-graft proximally and distally.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average duration of telementoring was 2.1 hours during the first 12 patients (group B) and 1.2 hours for the remaining 24 patients (group C). There was no difference in procedural duration (127+/-59 minutes in group A, 120+/-4 minutes in group B, and 119+/-39 minutes in group C; p=0.94) or the mean time spent in the ICU (26+/-15 hours in group A, 22+/-2 hours in group B, and 22+/-11 hours for group C; p=0.95). The length of hospital stay (11+/-4 days in group A, 9+/-4 days in group B, and 7+/-1 days in group C; p=0.002) was significantly different only for group C versus A (p=0.002). Only 1 (8.3%) patient (in group A: EVAR performed by the experienced operator) required conversion to open surgery because of iliac artery rupture. This was the only conversion (and the only death) in the entire study group (1/12 in group A versus 0/36 in groups B + C, p=0.31).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Telementoring for EVAR is feasible and shows promising results. It may serve as a model for development of similar projects for teaching other invasive procedures in cardiovascular medicine.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Ospedale San Giovanni, Bellinzona, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Valentino
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alerci
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bogen
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tutta
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sartori
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marty
authors.forename: Ludwig
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: von Segesser
authors.forename: Augusto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gallino
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017130:Angioplasty / Q000193:education*; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D020375:Education, Distance / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D049269:Videoconferencing