Our favourite Proximie procedures

Since launching in 2014, Proximie has assisted tens of thousands of procedures in over 50 countries, in every single surgical speciality.

Every single day, Proximie is enabling surgeons and healthcare teams around the world to collaborate in real-time and record, tag and edit their surgery footage, creating a unique tapestry of technique, insight, workflow, team interaction and operative detail - a database unlike any other in the world. But from the 100,000 hours of high quality surgical video, audio and device data stored on Proximie, which cases are etched in our team’s memory and why? Each week we will highlight the Proximie-assisted procedures which continue to inspire our team.

Our favourite Proximie procedures

“My favourite Proximie cases are always the first cases performed for a new surgeon, hospital, or med device partner. 

Once people start to use Proximie, the wheels begin to turn about what is possible, and new use cases often emerge on how Proximie can make surgery better through teaching or collaboration.”

“My favourite procedure is the Versius Robot case done in Jordan. 

I had the pleasure to take part in a CMR Surgical’s Versius Robot case, for a Left Radical Nephrectomy, at the King Hussein Cancer Center. The case was operated by Dr. Mohammad Shahait and proctored by Dr. Nikhil Vasdev. The reason this stands out is because it was the first ever robotic surgery in Jordan, it was assisted through Proximie, and I enjoyed taking part in every step there while meeting great minds from CMR as well.”

To learn more about this procedure, head to the blog: Jordan Harnesses the Power of Proximie to Deliver its First-Ever Robotics Procedure

“I would have to go for the procedure that happened on my father, which is one of my favourite cases for many reasons. It was incredible to hear first-hand how Proximie had put my dad’s mind at ease, before he underwent a major surgical procedure, which was a robotic partial knee arthroplasty with the CORI Surgical System.

It gave me a really insightful view of how Proximie can work hand-in-hand with robotics to help drastically improve a patient’s life. The fact that this successful procedure happened to my dad made it even more special. The power of this case epitomises why I work at Proximie. It was incredible to see and hear both sides of the story and to see the surgeon, Mr Simon Jennings, a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and global expert in robotic surgery, discuss the unique power of Proximie to help capture, store and share valuable surgical insight and knowledge for future generations.”

“My favourite Proximie-assisted procedure is the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) conjoined twins’ case from January 2023. This was the first-ever case of conjoined twins in Lebanon, taking 10 hours to complete.

Being part of this historical moment, alongside Mohamad Habash (Proximie Sales Support and Implementation Specialist), was incredibly moving. Proximie played a crucial role in enabling this very specialist procedure to be recorded and archived for future generations of surgeons to reference, to lean on for education, and for safekeeping the surgical techniques used in this very detailed case. It’s cases like these that make me very proud to be part of the team. Witnessing the twins being separated and placed in their own beds at 6:30pm was humbling and highlighted the significant impact of our work. This experience underscored the importance of what we do and how it truly makes a difference to people’s lives.”

“One of my most memorable Proximie-assisted procedures was an angioplasty, a minimally invasive treatment for narrowing heart arteries, led by Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. Anirban Choudhury, at Morriston Hospital in Swansea, Wales, on July 21, 2023.

“It was interesting because over the course of a few days, the surgical team in Wales live streamed two angioplasty procedures to surgeons gathered at two separate events - CHIP India, held in Chennai on one day, and then to the SCION conference in Kolkata a few days later - which offered the event attendees a valuable learning and collaboration experience.

“I thoroughly enjoyed watching Proximie technology remove borders and bring hundreds of surgeons into the Swansea Catheterisation lab. It enabled real-time collaboration across continents without surgeons losing days of work due to travel, thereby maintaining patient care, and providing a low carbon footprint, all cost effectively.

“The high-quality video, clear audio, and interactive tools made it feel as though Dr. Choudhury was in the room, directly guiding the participants. The engagement was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees gaining practical insights and skills to apply in their own practices. The feedback on Proximie’s capabilities after the event was excellent, truly highlighting Proximie’s ability to connect experts globally, enhancing surgical education and patient care.”

“During Chicago Live 2024, we supported an event that was a collaboration between Northwestern and the University of Chicago’s GI teams, in which we had five live cases occurring at any given time. With the help of Terrance Rodrigues, we supported the teams in these cases by switching back and forth between the different rooms, as interesting aspects of the procedures occurred. We essentially became the control tower from Proximie, enabling multiple views of multiple GI labs, all at once. This led to extremely interesting conversations between the operating physicians and the moderating panel. Hundreds of participants watched this happen live, and it was a fantastic and educational event!”

“One of the standout Proximie cases that I have supported was an advanced robotic gynaecological oncology procedure performed by Mr. Gautam Mehra, at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. This procedure was live-streamed to 30-40 King's College London medical students, who joined via the Proximie mobile app or their laptops.

“The students were not just passive observers; they actively engaged by asking questions, participating in medical trivia posed by the surgical team, and identifying surgical anatomy through telestration.

“For many of these students, it was their first experience with robotic surgery and a rare opportunity to interact directly with a surgeon in real-time. For me, this case clearly demonstrated the significant impact of Proximie's telepresence in enhancing medical education, offering a hands-on learning experience that extends beyond the traditional classroom.”

"My favourite procedure was a robotic gastric bypass performed by a world-leading surgeon known for his specialised technique. Proximie made this case truly exceptional by enabling us to capture and share every angle of the surgery—from the surgeon’s precise hand movements to the live feed from the robotic system. Experts from around the globe were able to observe and collaborate in real-time, gaining insights into the intricate details of the procedure. Proximie not only connects providers and offers a comprehensive view of complex surgeries but also increases access to life-changing techniques, ensuring that more patients worldwide can benefit from advanced surgical care. 

“This procedure really shows how we can help impact patients from around the world by digitising procedural spaces.” 

“I have worked at Proximie for over three years now and in that time I've seen countless critical cases streamed from around the world. But the first procedure I observed will always hold a special place in my heart. It was my first day in the Beirut office, and the team was assisting with a C-section in Makueni County, Kenya, as part of Proximie's global health initiative to standardise obstetric safe surgery interventions for women in resource-limited settings.

“The procedure initially seemed routine. When the first healthy baby was born, we breathed a sigh of relief and celebrated the successful delivery. But to our surprise, there was another baby on the way! The office actually erupted in cheers as the second baby was delivered.

“It was one of those moments where you feel a deep sense of purpose and commitment to our mission and vision. That's why it will always be a special procedure for me.” 

“One of my most memorable procedures was during my first month at Proximie, on one of the first cases I supported remotely, from our Beirut office. It took place in West Asia, where the medical team was performing a thoracoscopy (VATS) to remove a tumour. This minimally invasive surgery used a tiny camera and surgical tools to search for the tumour inside the patient’s chest. What made this case extraordinary was the collaboration enabled by Proximie. A professor from the U.S. was able to observe the procedure remotely and real-time through Proximie's live feed.

“After an initial search, the team in the operating room couldn’t locate the tumour, and there was a moment of uncertainty. They were considering additional scans to confirm its presence. But then, the professor watching remotely noticed something subtle, something the camera had barely captured. He asked the surgeon to lift a small part of the tissue with the tools, and beneath it, they finally identified the tumour.

“Thanks to this real-time guidance, the surgeon in the OR was able to safely remove the tumour, and the patient went on to have a successful recovery. That moment filled me with immense pride. It reinforced my belief in the power of the technology we support, bridging expertise from around the world to ensure patients get the best care possible. Knowing that we helped prevent a missed diagnosis and contributed to a life-saving surgery, made me feel deeply connected to our mission - to bring world-class medical care to every patient, regardless of location.”

"One of my favourite Proximie-assisted procedures was a Cryoablation electrophysiology case at King Fahad Medical City. It was broadcast live to the National Electrophysiology Symposium held in Riyadh in March 2024, organised by the National Heart Center and Saudi Health Council.

"What made this case stand out was that although the surgeon was performing through a small incision on the patient's heart, all of the symposium attendees were able to watch the procedure in HD, with a view that was even better than mine in the OR. 

“The importance of this event and case lies in its demonstration of how technology can overcome geographical barriers. It shows how Proximie has the potential to facilitate seamless remote collaboration and enable the sharing of expertise across borders, in real-time. This kind of connectivity ensures that best practices and advanced techniques are spread further and more widely than ever before.”

"My favourite Proximie procedure was a MitraClip™ Transcatheter Mitral Valve Repair, conducted by Interventional Cardiologist, Saibal Kar MD. This was the first Linkedin Live event that I was a part of back in late 2021, and being able to share what Proximie does with a wider audience and to see the live chat interactions with the surgeon was unbelievable. The excitement that came from the viewers seeing first-hand what Proximie can do is something that stays with me today."

"I’ve had the privilege of supporting many cases over the past few years with Proximie, and one standout experience was a live event featuring a Sleeve to Gastric Bypass procedure with Dr. Lufti at Advocate Masonic Medical Center in Chicago. It was an incredible educational experience, enriched by expert commentary and real-time discussions with Dr. Kothari, Dr. Kurian, and Dr. Prager. Their insights on various techniques throughout the procedure created a dynamic learning environment for everyone involved. 

"This event truly resonated with me because it exemplified the power of Proximie in enabling real-time collaboration and medical education. Watching top experts engage with the surgical team and share their techniques in real-time was a powerful reminder of how Proximie can break down geographical barriers and enhance patient outcomes worldwide.”

“My favourite Proximie procedure or implementation has got to be my trip to the Dominican Republic. During this visit, we partnered with Saving Mothers to support La Maternidad Hospital in enhancing maternal healthcare. I had the privilege of collaborating with an exceptional team from both Saving Mothers and local healthcare professionals. My role was to implement Proximie’s technology at La Maternidad, enabling the introduction of new surgical techniques remotely. We had cases every week where Obstetrics and Gynecology surgeons from the US attended each surgery remotely to help the Dominican Republic surgeons with new techniques and oversee the overall surgery. The satisfaction derived from this initiative was profound, not only due to its success but also because we made a tangible difference in the lives of underserved mothers in the Dominican Republic who required obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G) care.”

“There are so many over the years and each one is so different for so many reasons, but I will choose one close to home! It’s a procedure that happened six years ago that involved a patient in Lebanon who had been experiencing complications following a laparotomy. It was a surgery that went wrong. Her surgeon tried to look after her for a number of years, but she had ended up in intensive care and very nearly died on two occasions.

“For several years, this lady lived with a bad abdominal wall hernia, which meant every time she coughed or stood up, she would need hospital treatment. This individual reached out to us, and explained that while she trusted her local doctor and her local team, this particular case was not something that they were that familiar with. So we used Proximie to virtually-scrub in an expert from London to work with the local surgical team during a five hour procedure to correct the problem. On day five of her recovery, the patient was already back at home and six months later was at the beach with her grandchildren in her swimsuit, living completely pain free. This particular patient was my mother.”

“I've really enjoyed working on the rapid improvement cycle project in the Endoscopy suites at Orlando Health. Capturing valuable data points and generating insights have allowed us to collaborate closely with the Endo team on meaningful improvement ideas. It’s been incredibly rewarding to work alongside such a dedicated team, focused on enhancing OR efficiency, patient safety and outcomes.”

“I've really enjoyed working on the rapid improvement cycle project in the Endoscopy suites at Orlando Health. Capturing valuable data points and generating insights have allowed us to collaborate closely with the Endo team on meaningful improvement ideas. It’s been incredibly rewarding to work alongside such a dedicated team, focused on enhancing OR efficiency, patient safety and outcomes.”

“There are so many memorable procedures, but the one that I always tell people about was performed in Kenya, which was the first caesarean recorded on Proximie! It was amazing to hear the amazing story, and know that we are making a difference in countries that do not have access to safe surgery - something that a lot of us take for granted.”

“My favourite Proximie procedure was the first procedure I was involved with, just a week after starting. I picked up Henry, one of our Customer Success Managers, from Oxford train station, as we were scheduled to watch Proximie in action supporting a robotic prostatectomy at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford.

“As soon as Henry got in the car, he checked the Proximie app on his phone to view the live stream from the operating theatre. He noticed the procedure was running about an hour and 45 minutes behind schedule. So rather than race to the Churchill and have to kill some time there Henry suggested we first go to the John Radcliffe Hospital and meet some customers. This was my first experience of Proximie being used to optimise schedules, in this case our own! That was a real eye opener for me to see how Proximie could be used in a completely different way and what real-time data can do for ensuring people are in the right place at the right time. 

“That day, we successfully visited two hospitals, engaged with key customers, and observed an incredible robotic procedure—all with minimal waiting around. This experience truly demonstrated the power of real-time insights and the value Proximie can deliver to our customers.” 

“My favourite procedure was the The Rocky Mountain Interventional Endoscopy Course 2024 (RMIE) event which was held at University of Colorado Hospital. We not only had Proximie running in three Gastrointestinal (GI) labs in Denver at once for the conference, but a physician in Italy also performed his case live through Proximie, with the assistance of Clayton from the Proximie EU team. 

“I loved not only assisting with an event of this scale, but also being a part of a multi-national event that I got to work with colleagues from across the world.”