Live demonstrations of cardiovascular surgery are performed following guidelines instituted in 2007. The guidelines suggest that standard procedures should be selected and performed at institutions qualified by the Japanese Board of Cardiovascular Surgery. Live demonstrations should be approved by each institutional review board, and the setting of live demonstrations should allow the surgeons to concentrate on the procedures. Live demonstrations are one tool for educating a large audience simultaneously, but the surgeons may not always be able to perform at their best. The ideal live demonstrations should have the greatest educational impact with minimum risk to patients. The guidelines may play an important role in achieving this goal. However, live demonstrations may not be considered cost-effective if only routine procedures are performed. We should seek permanent, less expensive, and more effective forms of live demonstrations while ensuring patient safety.
Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures Education, Medical, Continuing