Riedel Communications Powers Live Medical Broadcasts

Riedel Communications has provided the critical communications infrastructure for the 14th World Live Neurovascular Conference (WLNC) in Lisbon, supporting live medical procedures streamed directly to the venue from five countries: Argentina, China, France, Turkey, and the United States. Attended by medical delegates from 63 countries, the conference relies on an "all live cases" format, bringing complex neurovascular interventions—including aneurysm treatments and stroke procedures—into the auditorium in real time from high-tech operating rooms worldwide.

At the center of every conversation between Lisbon and the remote hospitals was Riedel's Artist intercom. The system carried all on-site and intercontinental communications, allowing AV technicians and clinicians to coordinate the conference stage and operating rooms seamlessly. Riedel SmartPanels, deployed on stage and paired with Riedel intercom beltpacks, enabled moderators and panelists to direct questions to operating neurointerventionalists during procedures.

Remote sites were connected over low-latency SD-WAN links, and an end-to-end digital audio pipeline preserved intelligibility from microphone to earpiece — a non-negotiable requirement when the listener on the other end is operating on a patient. The system connected not only the on-site audience in Lisbon but also international online collaborators, ensuring reliable coordination among all participants during the live broadcast

Technical production was delivered by PlayfulBits UK, whose integration software running on cloud instances extended the reach of the Riedel 1200 Series SmartPanels well beyond intercom. Using the Control Panel App, operators could control both local and remotely connected devices — including PTZ cameras, tally lights, and return monitors at each hospital site — from the same panel surface. This turned the Artist-based communications infrastructure into a unified control layer for the entire production.

"In a medical setting, there is no room for communication errors. The Riedel intercom system provided both on-site organizers and our remote medical staff with the necessary flexibility and reliability. By ensuring clear and low-latency communication between the participating hospitals and Lisbon, Riedel's systems supported smooth collaboration among all parties involved and helped to create an interactive and globally connected exchange," said Prof. Dr. Saruhan Cekirge, WLNC.

"Demanding productions like the WLNC impressively demonstrate the difference that high-performance intercom and signal distribution systems can make," said Ismet Bozkurt, Senior Regional Sales Manager, Riedel Communications. "We're proud to see our technology being used to facilitate international collaboration and the exchange of medical knowledge."

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