2026 Preprints

From Virtual to Vital: Advocating for Decentralized Virtual Reality training and Social Media in Surgical Equity Within Laparoscopic Hernia Care in Resource Limited Settings

Vadlamudi, Priya; Kreniske, Philip; Abdool Karim, Aisha

Surgical inequity remains a critical global crisis. In Resource Limited Settings (RLS), millions lack access to safe, effective surgeries. Laparoscopic hernia repair is the gold standard, offering faster recovery and lower infection rates. However, fewer than 5% of surgeons in global RLS are proficient in these techniques, compared to 65% in the U.S. Digital Leapfrogging with social media and integration of Virtual Reality (VR) into surgical training in RLS is novel in the ability to reduce surgical disparity which forces vulnerable populations into invasive open repairs, leading to catastrophic health expenditures and prolonged disability. This perspective evaluates 1) the Three Delays in surgical care in RLS 2) Digital Leapfrogging framework as a novel approach and 3) decentralized Virtual Reality for laparoscopic hernia surgical training. Cost-benefit analyses are performed to provide return of investment (ROI) numbers for this framework. Social media campaigns reach populations at a cost of $0.61 per person and are nearly eight times more cost-effective than traditional outreach costing $5.0 per person. Clinic-to-Click techniques on social media provide transparency and demystify surgery. Portable VR headsets costing $500-$1,500 provide high-fidelity training at a 95% cost reduction compared to traditional surgical training fellowships, estimating about $25,000 per surgeon. Surgeons in RLS training through VR demonstrate a 70% faster rate of skill acquisition. Economic modeling suggests that scaling these essential services could return 884,000 people to the workforce annually, yielding an $80 billion global economic dividend. Results are displayed in Table 2. Digital ecosystems in hernia care are clinically vital and economically imperative. By merging social media advocacy with VR acquired surgical expertise into one framework, laparoscopic hernia care shifts to an accessible reality. This framework provides a scalable blueprint for other laparoscopic surgeries and achieves surgical equity in RLS.

Keywords: Digital Leapfrogging, Virtual Reality, Laparoscopic Hernia Repair, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Resource Limited Settings