A Delphi consensus statement for digital surgery

Revista do Colégio Brasileiro de Cirurgiões, 2024

World Journal of Urology, 2020

Purpose The internet has resulted in huge efficiency gains in health care, the ability to deal with massive data accumulation and better manage patient data. However, potential and real pitfalls exist, including breeches in security of data and patient confidentiality, data storage issues, errors, and user interface issues. Methods A MEDLINE review was performed using MeSH terms "health care" and "information technology." Crossreferencing was used to explore the different opportunities and challenges the internet has to offer. Results As health professionals, we are fast adopting technologies at our fingertips, such as WhatsApp and video capabilities, into our clinical practice to increase productivity and improve patient care. However, the potential security breaches are significant for the health professional and health service. Further, electronic medical records have theoretical advantages to improve patient care, reduce medication errors, and expedite referrals. The downside is a less personalized approach to patient care, as well as the potential for these systems to be even more cumbersome. In regard to the acquisition of knowledge, there is no doubt the internet is our friend. Health care professionals as well as patients have unlimited resources for learning, including podcasts videos, apps, simulators, and wearable devices. Unfortunately, this comes with a risk of misinformation and poorly referenced data with little to no regulation of content. Conclusion In this increasing digital world, it is our task as health care providers to embrace these new technologies but develop guidelines and control systems to minimize the pitfalls.

Volumen 25, N° 3, diciembre 2022 – marzo 2023 : Innovación, Cirugía, Educación, 2022

The era of digital surgery is characterized by the implementation of new technologies that have the potential to improve preoperative planning, increase the availability of therapeutic alternatives, improve surgical training in apprentices, optimize postoperative results for patients, and reduce possible adverse events (1). Although the incorporation of these technologies has the main premise of improving patients’ clinical outcomes, the use of these advances has been accelerated by commercial interests and the opportunities that large companies have to generate profits worldwide (2).The technologies that are currently having a direct impact on the surgical field are artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and machine learning (ML), without forgetting the availability of other robotic devices (3). Although digital surgery is gaining more popularity in the clinical practice, there is still a lack of knowledge about it, its benefits, and potential barriers to its adoption. La era de la cirugía digital se caracteriza por la implementación de nuevas tecnologías que tienen el potencial de mejorar la planeación prequirúrgica, incrementar la disponibilidad de alternativas terapéuticas, mejorar el entrenamiento quirúrgico en aprendices, optimizar los resultados postoperatorios de los pacientes y, a su vez, reducir posibles eventos adversos (1). A pesar de que la incorporación de estas tecnologías tiene como premisa principal mejorar los resultados clínicos de los pacientes, el uso de estos avances se ha visto acelerado por intereses comerciales y por las oportunidades que tienen las grandes compañías de generar ganancias a nivel mundial (2). Entre las tecnologías que en la actualidad están teniendo un impacto directo en el campo quirúrgico se resaltan la inteligencia artificial (IA), la realidad aumentada (RA) y el aprendizaje automatizado (AA), sin dejar de lado la disponibilidad de dispositivos robóticos de uso cotidiano (3). A pesar de que la cirugía digital cada vez gana más popularidad en la práctica clínica, en la actualidad aún existe una falta de conocimiento de esta, de sus beneficios y de las potenciales barreras para su adopción. A era da cirurgia digital é caracterizada pela implementação de novas tecnologias que têm o potencial de melhorar o planejamento pré-cirúrgico, aumentar a disponibilidade de alternativas terapêuticas, melhorar o treinamento cirúrgico dos aprendizes, otimizar os resultados pós-operatórios dos pacientes e, por sua vez, reduzir possíveis eventos adversos (1). Embora a incorporação dessas tecnologias tenha como principal objetivo melhorar os resultados clínicos dos pacientes, a utilização desses avanços tem sido acelerada por interesses comerciais e pelas oportunidades que grandes empresas têm de gerar lucros em todo o mundo (2). Entre as tecnologias que atualmente têm impacto direto no campo cirúrgico se destacam a inteligência artificial (IA), a realidade aumentada (RA) e o aprendizagem de máquinas (AM), sem deixar de lado a disponibilidade de dispositivos robóticos para uso cotidiano (3). Embora a cirurgia digital esteja ganhando cada vez mais popularidade na prática clínica, atualmente ainda há falta de conhecimento sobre ela, seus benefícios e possíveis barreiras para sua adoção.

International Journal of Law, Ethics, and Technology

In this era of ever-expanding and an all-pervasive existence of technology, newer innovations and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are shaking the established global legal systems from their roots by bringing in novel challenges and complexities. One of the most controversial questions in this area pertains to accountability and determination of liability how can a machine be held responsible/accountable and more importantly, how can a machine be sanctioned for its actions, especially where machine learning makes it possible for machines to take decisions itself? Artificial Intelligence has, amongst other fields, also entered the domain of medicine, where it poses massive legal challenges, especially in the area of surgery. As much as it aids both patients and doctors, it is difficult to determine liability and accountability of robots as surgeons, especially in cases where surgery results in fatality or great physical, emotional and/or psychological harm – should the doctor be responsi...

Although technology has an important role in the advancement of healthcare, research is essential as it serves to demonstrate that surgical innovations given by technology are ‘true’ advantages for patients and surgeons