Telementoring for Identifying the Appendix Using Telesonography

A Feasibility Study of Telementoring for Identifying the Appendix Using Smartphone-based Telesonography

The investigators investigated the feasibility of the clinical application of novice-practitioner-performed/offsite-mentor-guided ultrasonography for identifying the appendix.

A randomized cross-over study was conducted using a telesonography system that can transmit the ultrasound images displayed on the ultrasound monitor(ultrasound sequence video) and images showing the practitioner's operations(background video) to a smartphone without any interruption in motion over a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. Thirty novice practitioners were randomly assigned to two groups. The subjects in group A (n=15) performed ultrasonography for the identification of the appendix under mentoring by an onsite expert, whereas those in group B (n=15) performed the same procedure under mentoring by an offsite expert.

Each subject performed the procedure on three simulated patients. After a four-week interval, they performed the procedure again under the other type of mentoring. A total of 90 ultrasound examinations were performed in each scenario. The primary outcomes were the success rate for identifying the appendix and the time required to identify the appendix.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Without any experience in ultrasonography

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subjects who do not want to participate
• Subjects who has eye pain or any eye problem
• Subjects who has wrist pain