Social media for international surgical skills transfer: using pneumatic retinopexy as a model.

Objective: To assess social media as a potential method of bridging the gap between randomized controlled trial evidence and the implementation of pneumatic retinopexy (PnR).

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Participants: Vitreoretinal surgeons from a Telegram chat group that was initiated in May 2020 for educating ophthalmologists about PnR.

Methods: Between July 25, 2023, and September 25, 2023, longitudinal chat usage was recorded using an automated chatbot, and a subgroup of surgeons was surveyed about the effect of the Telegram group on their PnR practice.

Results: Telegram group membership increased from 43 members in May 2020 to 885 members in June 2024, with representation from 64 different countries. A subset of 653 members sent a mean (SD) of 2.6 (28.2) messages and were active 56.4 (195.0) times between July and September 2023. Eighty-one surgeons from 35 different countries completed the survey. Between the year before and year after joining the Telegram group, the proportions of surgeons that treated >25% of RRD cases with PnR (8.6% vs 44.4%; p < .001) and self-reported >80% primary anatomical reattachment rate (27.2% vs 48.1%; p < .001) increased.

Conclusions: Social media may be leveraged to support the refinement of surgical techniques such as PnR for physician trainees and practicing surgeons, as well as increase surgical adoption into routine practice, a process that can otherwise take several decades. A randomized implementation trial that compares social media to other dissemination and implementation strategies while incorporating effectiveness and safety outcomes is warranted.