First-of-its-kind Live Laparoscopic Cancer Surgery Hybrid Event was conducted by Zen Multispeciality Hospital. During the 11th National conclave on Laparoscopic surgery, around 4,000 laparoscopic surgery stalwarts came under one roof from across the country to watch the live surgeries followed by a question, answer session.
Dr. Roy Patankar, Director and Gastroenterologist, Zen Multispeciality Hospital, said, “Due to the Covid pandemic, the surgical training since last 1 year has been badly impacted.
Before the pandemic, it was possible for thousands of people to come together, and educate them via slide presentation. But, laparoscopic surgeries with a focus on cancer need have to be performed live, since last year, those who have passed MS and MCH haven’t seen any live surgeries due to Covid. This time, the highend surgeries were conducted live at Zen Hospital, and 100 people gathered at Acres Club Chembur, Mumbai, and these surgeries were transmitted to 41 locations across the country.
Around 4,000 surgeons watched these surgeries.” Dr Patankar added, “So, people from Jammu & Kashmir, Chennai, Kolkata and many more where around 50 surgeons were there in the medical colleges in one hall with Covid safety precautions. They were able to witness live streaming with high bandwidth.
This hybrid approach is the best way for training in the near future. Apart from this, we tied up with 20 surgical societies like Indore Surgical Society wherein 50 medical surgeons were present. Even questions were asked to surgeons while they were performing live.
If the surgeon gets into any difficulty, people were able to witness how they come out of it, safely. There were more than 100 registrations from Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Covid is here to stay, so it is possible for everyone to come together, and attend the conclave. Thus, technical learning is beneficial in these unprecedented times. This hybrid teaching or phygital teaching that is using the concept of using technology to bridge the digital world with the physical world is how technical surgery will be taught in the future.
