A P R I L 2 0 1 7 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 7
terns that unlock the secrets to improved
patient care. Venture capitalists are investing
huge amounts of money in Big Data, because
there have been interesting developments over
the past few years in the way data science is
changing healthcare practice. Although there
aren't yet many products that let the average surgical facility harness the power
of data, tapping into clinical information to improve surgical outcomes is a
development you need to monitor.
Imaging platforms are becoming capable of "seeing" what's happening during
surgery through computer algorithms connected to laparoscopic and arthro-
scopic cameras, a development that has significant clinical implications. Semi-
intelligent computer systems that have been trained on hundreds of thousands
of hours of surgical video can recognize specific steps of surgery, identify poten-
tial complications and warn surgeons when they approach challenging parts of
a procedure. The "smart" systems can also automate dictation by generating op
notes as a surgery progresses.
• Augmented and virtual reality. These flashy technologies are futuristic in
concept and are still in the very early stages of adoption. As their hardware and
software continue to develop, they have the potential to enhance patient care by
augmenting a surgeon's abilities through training stimulators, surgical planning
and intraoperative consultation. Surgeons wearing augmented reality headsets
can send point-of-view live feeds of the operative site to outside experts any-
where in the world for real-time advice. Surgical team members who wear aug-
mented reality headsets can also pull up patient records or pre-op images in a
hand-free environment without averting their gaze from the sterile field.
• 3D printing. As the cost of the printers decrease and the materials become
more abundant, the technology is fast becoming a tool that can be used in
research and in the clinical setting to create disposable tools, highly customized
Early adopters
are needed before
any new technology
becomes accepted.
