Demystifying surgery live on TV
BMJ 2018; 363 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k4910 (Published 22 November 2018) Cite this as: BMJ 2018;363:k4910
- Greta McLachlan, editorial registrar
- The BMJ
- gmclachlan{at}bmj.com
On the three evenings of 13-15 November, Channel 5 broadcast live operations from Barts Health NHS Trust in London. Kemal had an aortic valve replacement, Howard a total knee replacement, and Tim a right hemicolectomy.
Live surgical broadcasts are nothing new, but they continue to raise concerns about patient safety and ethics. We’ve been treated to tweeted operations,1 as well as live dissemination by Snapchat,2 radio,3 and virtual reality4—and Channel 4 showed a live colonoscopy in an advertisement for Cancer Research UK.5
Best interests
Ben Challacombe, a consultant urological surgeon at Guy’s and St Thomas’s Hospital in London, sits on the committee of the European Association of Urology, which has published guidelines for live broadcasts.6 “At conferences these operations play to packed houses,” he told The BMJ, talking about live surgery …
Log in
Log in using your username and password
Log in through your institution
Subscribe from £184 *
Subscribe and get access to all BMJ articles, and much more.
* For online subscription
Access this article for 1 day for:
£50 / $60/ €56 (excludes VAT)
You can download a PDF version for your personal record.