In nearly every facet of our lives, our mobile devices have taken over. Managing our calendars, organizing our contacts, and planning our driving directions -- our devices have become invaluable and ubiquitously present. While the ease of use of smartphones and tablets puts the power of portable computing in the hands of everyone, mobile software seems to be particularly appreciated by young professionals, who seek the convenience of on-the-go functionality and feel comfortable with computing in the palms of their hands. Throughout the world of education and a breadth of academic fields, advanced software programs have gained momentum, recognized for their ability to provide up-to-date, on-the-ground information.
In recent years, there has been an explosion of new software programs applicable to the field of cardiothoracic surgery, and these applications have been well received by modern trainees.
Dr. Mara Antonoff
"Mobile apps are incredibly convenient because they provide a means of accessing information while on the go," states Jonathan Spicer, a thoracic trainee at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
He continues, "Having the capacity to look up helpful information from my phone while in the operating room, on the ward, or in transit is particularly helpful."
In this article, we aim to highlight some of the more exciting and innovative mobile software programs available today for those interested in expanding their knowledge in cardiothoracic surgery or looking for an easy-to-access resource.
iBronch (Edward Bender), $0.99: iBronch is one of the many outstanding thoracic surgical apps developed by Ed Bender. This program aims to guide learners through the basic anatomy of the trachea and bronchial tree, with correlation of simultaneous images from a fiberoptic bronchoscope and along an anatomic airway diagram. Branches of the pulmonary tree are labeled on the schematic and the bronchoscopy images. This app is particularly useful for those trainees gaining comfort with bronchoscopic procedures; however, its utility may be less significant for more advanced learners. Regardless, this is a great program, quite helpful for the intended audience.
Thoracic Lymph Node Map (RADIOLOGiQ, LLC), Free: This app provides a color-coded lymph node map, associated with computed tomography images and adapted from the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) lung cancer project. This program provides excellent illustrations of the anatomic definitions for each of the intrathoracic lymph node stations. This is helpful both in examining imaging studies of actual patients and in the operating room.
CT Journals (Edward Bender), Free: This software program serves as a scholarly journal aggregator for the field of cardiothoracic surgery. The app displays feeds for journals of interest, with inclusion of those relevant periodicals with the most readership and highest impact factors. Not only can one access the articles while online, abstracts can be saved for future use offline. This is a great resource, but users should be aware that access to the full articles is available only for those who have active accounts providing them access to the specific journals.
CTSNetWiki (Edward Bender), Free: Cardiothoracic Surgery Notes is an online review developed and maintained by residents in thoracic surgical training. This resource is a tremendous repository of information, compiling graphics, text, and other multimedia content on a breadth of topics. This app allows general review of a wide variety of cardiothoracic surgical problems and is appropriate for both the novice learner and as a review for those who are further along in their training.
SESATS IX (Edward Bender), Free: Perhaps the most valuable mobile software application out there, the Self Education Self Assessment in Thoracic Surgery (SESATS) IX application contains actual questions from previous versions of the SESATS. The mobile app even includes the associated images, videos, and CT scans that correspond with the questions. Although the program does not contain the latest version of SESATS, the utility of this app cannot be overestimated. This program is enormously helpful for self-testing, on-the-go topic-specific learning, and exam preparation. This is a real gem of a find, and it comes with a strong recommendation to all trainees for its download and use.
TSRA Primer of Cardiothoracic Surgery (Thoracic Surgery Residents' Association), $4.99: Produced by CT residents for CT residents, this is probably the most useful resource for the intern, junior resident, or new fellow who needs to brush up on the basics before rounds, in between consults, and before assisting in the OR. It's not comprehensive, but it is full of clinical pearls covering all the major divisions of cardiothoracic surgery. Many cardiac residents, especially younger integrated residents, have been waiting for a straightforward, practical tutorial like this for years. Beautiful and often interactive illustrations and videos really make this iBook memorable.