Tele-assistance during neurosurgical education: Remote Education, Augmented Communication, Training and Supervision (REACTS)

Abstract

Introduction: Tele-medicine has gained in popularity worldwide, particularly to help offer medical expertise, healthcare delivery and education to developing nations. There is little literature reporting the implementation or analysis of tele-assitance in the setting of surgical education. We have implemented a tele-assistance system, called Remote Education, Augmented Communication, Training and Supervision (REACTS), as a tool to augment mentor-student education in the operating room. This system allows the mentor to observe the student during surgery remotely through screen sharing technology with integrated visual and audio interaction. The goal of this study is to assess the safety and the benefit of REACTS as an educational tool. Methods: Prospective observational study to evaluate the safety and qualitative benefit of REACTS. Results: REACTS was used in 20 cases, including 5 placement of EVDs, 5 pterional craniotomies, 5 Sylvian fissures dissection, 5 lumbar discectomies, and 5 lumbar spine decompressions. No untoward or adverse events were observed. It was judged to be a positive influence on resident and fellow education by the mentors. The main pitfall in its use is to appropriately select the learner for a given procedure. Conclusion: REACTS surgical system is a safe, and a useful adjunct tool for neurosurgical operative education.