Regional education on endoscopic surgery using a teleconference system with high-quality video via the internet: Saga surgical videoconferences

BACKGROUND: Effective education about endoscopic surgery (ES) is greatly needed for unskilled surgeons, especially at low-volume institutions, to maintain the safety of patients. We have tried to establish the remote educational system using videoconference system through the internet for education about ES to surgeons belonging to affiliate institutions. The aim of this manuscript was to report the potential to establish a comfortable remote educational system and to debate its advantages. METHODS: We established a local remote educational conference system by combining the use of a general web conferencing system and a synchronized remote video playback system with annotation function through a high-speed internet. RESULTS: During 2014-2019, we conducted 14 videoconferences to review and improve surgeons' skills in performing ES at affiliated institutions. At these conferences, while an uncut video of ES that had been performed at one of the affiliated institutions was shown, the surgical procedure was discussed frankly, and expert surgeons advised improvements. The annotation system is useful for easy, prompt recognition among the audience regarding anatomical structures and procedures that are difficult to explain verbally. CONCLUSIONS: This system is of low initial cost and offers easy participation and high-quality videos. It would therefore be a useful tool for regional ES education.