International transmission of uncompressed endoscopic surgery images via superfast broadband Internet connections

Background: Although telecommunication is increasing in popularity, poor-quality images sent through a narrowband network limit its use in the medical field. Methods: Kyushu University Hospital in Japan and four hospitals in Korea were linked via superfast broadband Internet connection. The digital video transfer system, which can transmit digital videos without loss of image quality, was used, and the bandwidth was 30 Mbps per line. Results: Of the 16 teleconferences conducted, 6 demonstrated real-time endoscopic surgery. In addition to the surgical images, preoperative diagnostic images, images of the operating room, and images of the staff in the conference room were transmitted to facilitate discussion. The network remained stable, and the sound delay was restricted to less than 0.3 s. In the other 10 teleconferences, recorded video images were used for discussion. Conclusions: The authors have established a high-quality, practical teleconference system that is economical and easy to use in clinical practice. This system shows promise for remote education beyond geographic borders.