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DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1780733
Looking through the Crystal Ball—Feasibility of Tele-echocardiography Using Smart Glasses in Neonates
Background: In recent years, the importance of telemedicine has increased significantly. Virtual Reality glasses are a promising new tool in this context. Especially in the field of echocardiography, they offer the possibility of real-time data transmission without restrictions in the examination process. In particular, the care of critically ill newborns with suspected congenital heart disease might be improved by allowing a specialized pediatric cardiologist to remotely guide an echocardiographic examination. The current study aims to prove whether novices, under Google Glass guidance by an experienced pediatric cardiologist, can perform an appropriate neonatal echocardiography.
Methods: The current study is a prospective monocentric single-blinded pilot study. As smart glasses, we used Google Glass. Participants were supposed to perform two test runs: The first test run as “unguided” and second test run instructed via Google Glass as “Google Glass guided.” A validated training simulator for neonatal echocardiography “EchocomNeo, Echocom GmbH” was used. The study took place at the Leipzig Heart Center, Department of Pediatric Cardiology from April 2022 to November 2022.
Results: A total of 21 medical students were enrolled. In total 252 views (126 views in the first test run and 126 views in the second test run) were recorded. The overall performance was significantly higher in the Google Glass guided test run compared with “unguided” (structure score: 77.6% vs. 63.2%. p < 0,001 and quality score: 58.7% vs. 47.2%, p < 0.001). Also, the time was significantly lower in the Google Glass guided test run (mean 40.1 seconds) than in the unguided test run (mean 47.7 seconds), p = 0.014.
Conclusion: Google Glass guidance by a pediatric cardiologist could optimize the performance of novices in echocardiography using a standardized neonatal echo- simulator with structural normal cardiac anatomy.
Publication History
Article published online:
13 February 2024
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