Barco advance the frontiers of telemedicine
MultiSense Communications, a medical conferencing solutions provider based in High Wycombe, UK, in conjunction with medical imaging specialist Barco, recently demonstrated the clinical benefits of today's telemedicine systems. During a live open heart surgery operation at the Imperial College Hospital in Hammersmith, UK, an entire heart valve repair procedure was captured and transmitted to a professional audience using a mobile telemedicine system from MultiSense and Barco's HD surgical display.
The open heart procedure was performed by Dr. Prakash P. Punjabi, while more than 70 surgeons and medical professionals from all over Europe witnessed the session as part of a master class.
The conferencing system used in Hammersmith combined MultiSense's vast knowledge of telemedicine infrastructure with Barco's leadership in surgical display technology. The system provided viewers with a real-time, two way communication link between the operating theater and the conference room, thereby enabling detailed discussions while the procedure was being performed. Thanks to the surgical display's intelligent picture-in-picture functionality, the audience had a high-definition view of the operation on screen, including local and remote camera images, the patient's vital signs, and the endoscopic video of the operation.
By using this sophisticated medical conferencing technology, the Imperial College Hospital was able to host this educational session without having to adapt their existing infrastructure. Moreover, the system saved them the costs of hiring a satellite truck, microwave links and camera crew — a potential cost upwards of twenty thousand pounds per day.
Cardiac surgeon Dr. Prakash P Punjabi was very enthusiastic about the system. “The MultiSense medical cart provides a very efficient and comfortable way of visualizing and sharing images and data, both inside and outside of the surgery suite,” he explained. “The most important aspect of the solution, however, is the excellent quality of the patient images. The Barco MDSC-2124 surgical display guarantees excellent performance under high ambient light conditions, and allows for detailed discussion during the procedure. Moreover, at 1920 x 1200, its High Definition resolution improves depth perception, enhances hand-view coordination and allows for better patient care overall.”
Andrew Graley, Director of Healthcare Solutions at MultiSense, points out that transmitting a surgical intervention for educational purposes is just one of the system's many possible applications. The integrated solution presents clinicians, physicians and hospital trusts with a new set of possibilities for remote consultation, diagnosing and conferencing, while simultaneously reducing patient referrals and waiting times. From a facilities standpoint, the MultiSense solution easily integrates into a hospital's existing PACS network. Moreover, the system can be used for a wide spectrum of applications, including cardiology, ophthalmology, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, stroke care, dermatology, endoscopy, radiology and ultrasound imaging.
“Barco's surgical display was the obvious choice for our MultiSense conferencing system,” Graley explained. “With a wide range of connectivity options, it gave us the functional versatility we were looking for. In addition, the MDSC-2124 monitor sets itself apart with its sealed and fan-less housing which allows for easy cleaning and disinfection, and offers protection against ingress of liquid, dust and other substances.”
18.08.2009
