3 best tools for editing surgical videos

The rapid advancement of digital technology is shaping every facet of modern medicine, revolutionizing the way procedures are documented and shared. In the field of ophthalmology, it has become common to find high-quality surgeries and slit lamp examination videos easily accessible online and frequently presented at medical conferences.

However, taking the video footage is just the beginning. Doctors and healthcare professionals must also understand how to edit their videos effectively. Editing videos allows the highlighting of important details, removing irrelevant or sensitive information, and presenting the content concisely and according to personal preferences. Let’s explore the different applications and programs that can be used for editing medical videos.

1. Adobe Premiere Pro

Pros:

• Variety: Adobe Premiere Pro’s comprehensive toolset allows users to cut and trim videos, and correct color, brightness, and contrast. You can also edit and mix audio for more advanced video editing and use visual effects, transitions, and text.

• Auto reframe: Adobe Premiere Pro simplifies selecting the appropriate aspect ratio for different formats compatible with different devices. It offers an automatic cropping feature to help you achieve a well-balanced composition within the frame.

Cons:

• Complex for beginners: Adobe Premiere Pro’s interface can appear overwhelming for beginners unfamiliar with professional video editing software. As a medical professional, you may not have the time to invest in understanding the timeline, effects, transitions, and other editing techniques.

• High system requirements: To run Adobe Premiere Pro smoothly, it requires a powerful computer with sufficient processing power, RAM, and storage. Upgrading or purchasing new hardware to meet these requirements can be an additional cost.

2. MicroREC App

MicroREC app is the first smartphone application exclusively developed to address the specific needs of medical professionals. It enables users to capture and edit medical videos within the app, with a user-friendly interface.

Pros:

• Lightweight: MicroREC App is a smartphone application developed to operate on every Android and iOS device. You don’t need to invest in powerful hardware to enjoy advanced recording and video editing capabilities.

• Capture and edit:MicroREC App is a unified tool for recording and editing videos. With it, importing videos from other devices is not necessary, as everything can be done within the application itself. It enables medical professionals to capture videos of surgeries and diagnoses and edit them directly within the app.

Cons:

• Available only for smartphones: While the app offers a range of features for recording and editing surgical procedures and diagnoses, it is designed specifically for smartphone use and is not available for other devices such as computers. However, it eliminates the need to transfer recorded videos to another device for editing, as it operates directly on your smartphone, where all your videos are already stored.

3. DaVinci Resolve:

DaVinci Resolve is another software that has recently gained significant recognition by video editing professionals and enthusiasts. It combines editing and color correction tools in software suitable for both beginners and professionals.

Pros:

• Advanced color correction and grading tools: In DaVinci Resolve you can adjust the color balance, enhance contrast, and manipulate specific color channels, which can help highlight specific features, or improve overall image quality.

• Available free version: The free version of DaVinci Resolve provides a significant advantage, especially for ophthalmologists or medical professionals with budget constraints. The good news is that it also comes with enough video editing tools for enthusiasts.

Cons:

• High system requirements: Like Adobe Premiere Pro and every other video editing software, DaVinci Resolve requires a powerful computer to run.

• Limited integration with outside software: While DaVinci Resolve offers a robust suite of features and functionalities, its compatibility with other software or third-party plugins may be more limited than some competitors, for example, effects and audio plugins.