Remote Assistance Via Smart Glasses Compared to In-person Assistance for Cannulation of the Native Papilla During Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography

In sparsely populated regions of a country and where there is a lack of experienced specialists, it may not always be possible to have an experienced ERCP examiner present during an examination. Therefore, telemedical examination assistance via a connection to data glasses worn by the examiner is a possible option to replace the physical presence of an instructor or experienced ERCP examiner.

The aim of this prospective randomized study is to evaluate whether telemedical assistance via smart glasses is equivalent to physical presence in terms of examination success and safety. Endoscopic papilla cannulation is a key skill for successful ERCP and therefore a measurable primary endpoint of the study. This can be measured as the time (in seconds/minutes) between stable visualization of the papilla and successful endoscopic cannulation of the target structure (bile duct or pancreatic duct).

In addition to other efficacy endpoints, adverse events, which are expected to be rare, will be documented at 48-hour intervals and calculated as a rate. Telemedical 'live' support of an ERCP via data glasses has not yet been demonstrated or tested in a trial. To ensure the safety of the examination under these circumstances, the training examiner is present in the neighbouring room and can physically assist or take over the examination at any time if necessary.