Tremendous interest in VATS training workshops required Ethicon Professional Education Team to scale up simulation labs to accommodate more participants. While increasing simulation stations was relatively straightforward, availability of portable endoscopy systems quickly became a bottleneck. How could we purchase 10 or 15 endoscopy systems without breaking the bank?

Enter an ingenious solution: flexible borescopes with LED illumination, readily available on Alibaba. These affordable tools could connect to a laptop via USB to display images. But why not refashion them into rigid endoscopes? This idea sparked the creativity of James Kennedy, who began prototyping in his garage, and ultimately achieved a remarkable milestone: replicating the 30° angle functionality of surgical endoscopes.

The initial design had vintage charm, featuring a copper tube and an oak handle reminiscent of Victorian era. However, the idea quickly gained traction. Czech company Ponap advanced the concept and began mass-producing these systems, significantly reducing the cost barrier to VATS simulation training.

This innovation made reasonable-quality, cost-effective portable endoscopy systems widely available, enabling more healthcare professionals to access VATS simulation training.