telemedecine

On behalf of the ESHRE Special Interest Group Reproductive Surgery, ATiT produced a 3 hour long live interactive satellite TV broadcast of surgical interventions on Tuesday 29 June 2010. This session was coordinated and moderated by Professor Stephan Gordts from LIFE Leuven. The programme connected three operation theatres in the Hospital  Maternité Schiltigheim, IRCAD Strasbourg, with an audience of about 1000 participants of the ESHRE conference in one of the large auditoriums of the Fiera di Roma. Amongst the operating surgeons were Prof. Dr. Arnaud Wattiez abd Dr. Joseph Nassif (IRCAD  Strasbourg), Dr. Sara Brucker (Uni-Frauenklinik Tübingen), Dr. Rudi Campo, (LIFE Leuven), Dr. Antoine Watrelot (Part-Dieu Lyon), Dr. Guardin and Dr. Hummel (IRCAD Strasbourg).

More than 6 cameras, 2 SNG links and 2 satellite channels were used to capture and transmit the images of the gynaecological interventions in the best possible quality. Operating surgeons answered questions from the audience while demonstrating innovative surgical techniques and procedures. Amongst the cases were Deep endometriosis, Vaginoplasty Rokitansky, Hysteroscopic septum, Endometriotic cysts, Laparoscopic myomectomy, Transvaginal ovarian drilling and finally Tubal anastomosis.

The programme, sponsored by Karl Storz lasted for more than three hours and was received very well by about a thousand viewers. The viewers in the auditorium were impressed with the scientific quality of the programme as well as with the technical and organisational quality of the live transmissions.

On Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 March 2009, ATiT provided the video production services for a successful training session of the European Academy for Gynaecological Surgery (EAGS) at +heAcademy House in Leuven. Endoscopic as well as other camera images were transmitted via IP videoconferencing as well as terrestrial microwave links between the operation theatres of the Hospitals of Zuid Oost Limburg (Genk) and Heilig Hart (Leuven) and the EAGS Auditorium in Leuven (Belgium).

ATiT is working closely with +heAcademy to research and develop new methods to reliably distribute high quality images of live surgery at acceptable cost to support professional training for surgeons. ATiT uses appropriate technologies such as satellite, microwave and telecommunication networks. 

ATiT organised the production and the videofacilities to support the 7th Biennial Meeting of the Endoscopic Training Centre Antwerp (ETCA) which took place from 29 till 31 January 2009 at the CC Elzenveld. During this conference, ATiT produced over 6 hours of live interactive video demonstrations of surgical and endoscopic procedures, with medical centres and hospitals in four different locations: Antwerp and Brussels (Belgium), Villach (Austria) and Geneva (Switzerland). Connectivity with these remote centres was guaranteed via broadband IP and multichannel ISDN as well as with CCTV. Storz, the endoscopic company, provided the additional equipment in all operation theatres and supported the whole production.

ATiT organised a live surgery session via Interactive TV in Leuven on 4th April for Integra LifeSciences Services which took place in the Faculty Club, Leuven.

This training session for surgeons coming from a number of different European countries included a live wireless TV link with an operation theatre in the nearby H. Hart Hospital where participants in the training workshop could watch and comment on the live surgery taking place, discussing procedures with the surgeon and her team while the operation was taking place.

On Tuesday 3 July 2007, during the ESHRE Lyon 2007 Conference on Human Reproduction and Embryology, ATiT produced a live video transmission from the operation theatres of the hospitals of IVI in Valencia (Spain) and Hotel Dieu in Clermont Ferrand (France). During this 3 hour Live Surgery Session sponsored by Storz, over 600 people watched high quality live video images of specialist surgeons carrying out innovative operation techniques. The live transmission was possible by using satellite TV, while the viewers present in the Salle Lumiere in Lyon could ask questions directly to the operating surgeon.