2016 Masters of Thoracic Surgery – Uniportal VATS Lobectomy & VATS Segmentectomy video contest

We cordially invite you to participate in the 2016 Masters of Thoracic Surgery – Uniportal VATS Lobectomy & VATS Segmentectomy video contest! 

The Masters of Thoracic Surgery video contest is an annual event held by AME Publishing Company, sponsored by Medtronic, Inc., with an aim to share and demonstrate the surgical skills in thoracic surgery. 

Since the first video contest held in 2012 with applauded response, here it is the fourth contest. This year, the contest is held on an international background, focused on Uniportal VATS Lobectomy & VATS Segmentectomy. We believe the contest will embrace the thoracic surgeons from all over the world and hope it to be a preferred platform for surgeons to learn from each other and improve their skills. 

Videos can be submitted to editor@asvide.com via: www.wetransfer.com, Dropbox or Hightail etc.. Before submission, please make sure the instruction below is followed:

• For fast uploads please attach your file(s) as compressed .zip or .sit files. Once upload has been initiated, do not close the window until you have received on screen confirmation that your upload has been successful. Please note that the maximum size of each file has a limit of 2GB. If your file(s) for submission are greater than this limit, please divide the file into multiple segments, with the file names labelled in the correct order.

Illustrating text: It is recommended that the video be accompanied with a descriptive text. The text should include four subheadings – Abstracts, Introduction, Operative Techniques and Comments. The abstract is limited to 300 words. The main section on Operative Techniques should include detailed descriptions of the procedures in a step-by-step format. Expert opinions regarding possible pitfalls and the comparison of the described procedure with other methods are encouraged.

Video: videos should be made within 15 mins. Videos should be submitted as digital files in mp4, flash video (.flv), MPEG (MPEG video file), DVD video format, mov, avi, and wmv formats orvideos on CD/DVD. H.264/mp4 for the video codec and AAC for the audio codec is recommended. The video should be of high quality (resolutions: no less than 640×480). The corresponding author must confirm in the Copyright Transfer Agreement, that he/she has received a signed release form from each patient recorded on the submitted video. Ideally, patients should not be identifiable in these videos. If required, additional video editing by the authors, including the insertion of a voice-over may also be requested.

All materials submitted should be in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) and be original unless appropriate permission is obtained. 

For this year’s contest, videos will be judged on the basis of how effective the videos are in promoting uniportal VATS Lobectomy or VATS Segmentectomy techniques by a penal of international VATS experts. Awards will be then granted as the first, second and third prize. 

1) Originality (30 %)

3) Educational values of video demonstration (40%)

All the prized videos will stand a chance to be published in Journal of Thoracic Disease (JTD: https://jtd.amegroups.org). 

Outstanding contestants for the contest will be awarded the “AME Masters of Thoracic Surgery”.

Submission deadline

To confirm your participation in the contest, please submit your video before July 10, 2016. The result will be announced online (this website) before September 30 and the award winner will get a notification email. 

Term of Confidentiality

All information and materials collected for this contest will not be used for any non-academic purpose.