Generating "Virtual Physicals on Demand" Patient Videos With Standardized "Range Of Motion Protocols" In Plastic Surgery

Introduction-

In our hurly-burly world, like most people, we plastic surgeons are being bombarded by the ever increasing and competitive advertising and eye catching images from all media to get our precious moments for our attentions, to buy their products, and to adopt their surgical techniques. 

It is no secret that today’s computer softwares are used extensively to ‘photo-shop’ many still images making them more attractive, as in magazine covers and weight loss advertisements, etc.  The reason they are successful is because we have so little time, and they are unencumbered by the onus of showing viewers the ‘whole thing’, i.e., a moving subject, viewed from multiple angles as a ‘Real, Live and Living Entity’.  One must question why and what are the advertisers hiding purposely.

Unfortunately, for years, surgeons have also shortchanged themselves by sticking to still photographs of their patients', though not ‘photo-shopped’, but ‘cherry picked’, images that represent the most favorable viewing angles for best possible interpretation of outcomes, for self-evaluation and communication with our peers.

It was this nagging unease with still photographs that let me into developing this concept of video recording of plastic surgery patients under standardized recording conditions for various common procedures.  The rapid evolution in digital video technology now make it possible for almost any person to video record, archive, and share these “patient physicals on demand” with any person of interest world-wide at moments notice.

Material and Method†:

- face: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1ylTBmIKLE

- hand: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_elYPed1sY

- breast: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3jsbuHlCHA

 

Discussions:

These brief, yet complete video documents of patients can be used in the following settings:

1. Before surgery videos will establish all the pre-existing conditions, an immutable base line, to help surgeons, patients for their surgical planning prospectively; and to help surgeons, patients, hospital administrators, insurance carriers and litigators to adjudicate any dispute retrospectively.

 

1. After surgery videos provide concrete evidence of changes to affirm the merit and the efficacy of the chosen surgical procedure by the surgeon for self learning and teaching of others.

 

1. In the near future, the general public, our colleagues, publishers, insurance carriers, and lastly, our Specialty Board Examiners, will require surgeons to present their work, not only in photographs, but also in videos.

Conclusion:

The videos speak for themselves.

References: 

 

            Please visit: http://www.plasticsurgeryinmotion.com.

*          Disclosure:  The topics discussed above are the integral parts of a new project “Plastic Surgery In Motion™” solely created by John S. Eng, MD, and it is anticipated to generate revenues to cover the costs of past, present (so far, none) and future developments.

†          The how to shoot these videos will be presented at the podium.  If one encounters difficulty viewing the You Tube videos, please go to the website listed above.