Teleconferencing in endoscopic surgery.

The traditional methods of information dissemination by publication in journals and the classical model of instruction by apprenticeship have not been able to keep pace with the rapid advances in the fields of therapeutic endoscopy and laparascopic surgery. The advances in communications technology have made it possible to transmit images of operative procedures over long distances. In recent years, teaching workshops where procedures are demonstrated in a real-time fashion have become very popular. This article discusses the logistics, limitations, and problems that may be encountered in conducting such workshops.