3D Technology Revolution: Bringing Surgeons Closer to Remote African Patients!

KOFORIDUA, Ghana (AP).- Since 2002, Charles Owusu Aseku has traveled across Ghana and abroad seeking treatment for a large keloid on his neck. After two unsuccessful surgeries and a consultation-only visit to South Africa, the 46-year-old was increasingly exasperated.

By the end of February, Aseku was preparing for yet another medical trip when he joined the first trial of 3D telemedicine technology in Ghana, conducted from the back of a van equipped with computer screens.

The initiative, developed by Microsoft’s research team in collaboration with local doctors and researchers, aims to facilitate remote assessments, offering medical consultations for patients awaiting or recovering from surgery in an area where the doctor-patient ratio is among the lowest in the world.

The project builds on previous trials in Scotland and is now a mobile system equipped with enhanced lighting and camera upgrades.

Inside the van, cameras capture a 3D model of each patient, which is then displayed on a large screen. Multiple doctors can join the consultation online and manipulate the 3D model to examine the patient.

“The idea behind the van is to enable it to travel to remote villages that lack specialized care… to conduct pre or post-surgical consultations,” explained Spencer Fowers, principal software developer and leader of the 3D telemedicine project at Microsoft Research.

The initiative also allows patients to receive multiple expert opinions. Aseku’s session included doctors from Rwanda, Scotland, and Brazil, which he said gave him hope.

“I see many doctors here and I am very happy because from each of them comes expertise and perhaps a solution to my problem,” stated the 46-year-old.

The researchers hope that the trial at Koforidua Regional Hospital in Ghana’s Eastern Region will kickstart a broader project that could expand services and explore new use cases.

In recent years, the use of telemedicine has risen, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts believe that digital tools can greatly benefit African patients due to the continent’s shortage of specialist doctors for its 1.4 billion population.

George Opoku, 68, was referred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, nearly 100 kilometers away from the closer Koforidua Hospital, where he first sought treatment for sarcoma, a rare cancer that develops in bones and soft tissues.

Upon learning about the 3D telemedicine trial, his doctor enrolled him in the program, saving him from the additional costs and stress of long-distance travel.

“This time I had to get into a van and present myself and explain my condition not just to one doctor, but to several. I was able to answer all their questions and I am hopeful that they will treat and cure me,” Opoku said. “I already feel good and hopeful.”

A major challenge for the project is the lack of stable internet access, a common issue in remote areas of Africa.

At Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, the technology assists patients requiring plastic surgery. The scarcity of plastic surgeons means patients often have to consult with different doctors at each visit.

Dr. Kwame Darko, a consulting plastic surgeon at the hospital and a lead researcher in the project, noted that 3D telemedicine could allow patients to be seen by multiple doctors during one session.

The 3D technology could make a significant difference if replicated across Ghana and elsewhere, according to Dr. Ahensan Dasebre, the chief resident doctor at the National Centre for Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns at Korle-Bu, who is not involved in the project.

“We are already behind in terms of the number of doctors available to serve a certain amount of the population,” he said.

“If someone is in a remote part of the city where they do not have access to these specialized services but needs them, the referring doctor could use telemedicine to access the best care.”