Remote expert provides operating theatre advice through Smart Glasses

Nurses at the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre (CTC) at Basildon Hospital are wearing Smart Glasses, where they are guided remotely through a complex multi-step procedure by experts who can see exactly what they see.

The glasses enable heart staff to receive real-time advice from anywhere in the world as they share a live feed from the operating theatre through a high-resolution camera on the Smart Glasses. Previously, staff were advised by a clinical expert from medical device company Boston Scientific who was present in the operating theatre.

The Smart glasses are assisting in a procedure called transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) which involves inserting a new valve via a blood vessel in the leg. This is guided towards the heart by the cardiologist where they can then replace the diseased valve. According to the British Heart Foundation, the procedure has six steps and takes between one and two hours.

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In a statement, Dr Rohan Jagathesan, medical director at the Essex CTC, said: “This new innovative equipment allows us to be more independent and to carry out more procedures, and means we can treat patients more quickly as we don’t need a specialist to come to the hospital.

“We can also use the Smart Glasses to train our staff during a simulated procedure and further develop their skills, helping to improve the service we give to our patients.”

Olivier Lonbois, VP Interventional Cardiology and Structural Heart at Boston Scientific, the manufacturer of the TAVI device, said: “We are delighted to be able to provide our ExpertLink support to the team at the Essex CTC and the wider cardiology community. It is exciting to be able to provide clinical support using novel technologies that open up more options for NHS hospitals undertaking these types of specialist procedures.”