Tele-colleaguography - Adjunct to Intraoperative Time Out for Safe Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

Abstract

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a common surgical procedure, and strategies for preventing biliovascular injury include intraoperative time-out and intraoperative cholangiography. However, the feasibility of intraoperative cholangiography is limited in certain regions due to cost and training constraints. This article introduces the concept of "Tele-colleaguography" as an adjunct to intraoperative time-out during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, particularly in low-resource settings. Telecolleaguography, a term coined to signify remote consultation with senior surgeons using video applications like WhatsApp and Viber, presents a potential solution to prevent bile duct injuries. The viewpoint discusses the potential benefits of Telecolleaguography, and the role of modern technology such as 5G, and references key studies that support this approach.