{"title":"Patient monitoring techniques","authors":"Jason Gandhi, Iain A. Walker","doi":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2025.01.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2025.01.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The requirement for patient monitoring is an essential standard engrained into the modern practice of medicine. Accurate and contemporaneous monitoring to observe physiological parameters allows for timely interventions to guide patient care. Monitoring, whilst potentially complex in terms of technical specifications or its desired target for observation, in its simplest form can be divided into either: (a) a ‘snapshot’ clinical review or (b) a review of progressive changes in observed trends over the course of time. This can help optimize a patient’s care and, accordingly, guide the trajectory of their hospital admission. This article describes the modalities of basic and specialty-specific advanced monitoring and details the mechanism by which these monitors operate. Specific advantages and disadvantages of particular types of monitoring are described.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74889,"journal":{"name":"Surgery (Oxford, Oxfordshire)","volume":"43 4","pages":"Pages 232-239"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143821350","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
George E Richardson, Francesco Magni, Musa China, Danyal Z Khan, Hani J Marcus
{"title":"Innovations in surgical management of frail elderly adults: an overview of current guidance and recent advances","authors":"George E Richardson, Francesco Magni, Musa China, Danyal Z Khan, Hani J Marcus","doi":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2025.01.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2025.01.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Frailty is an important issue for surgeons as it is associated with worse outcomes following surgical intervention. With a progressively ageing global population, more frail elderly patients are undergoing surgical procedures. The recognition of frailty in clinical practice can be challenging, due to the complex interplay between physiological aging and multi-comorbidities which often co-exist in frail patients. The Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC) and British Geriatric Society (BGS) published guidelines in 2021 to assist surgical teams with optimizing the management of frail patients in the perioperative period. This article directs surgeons through the guidelines at each checkpoint in the surgical care pathway, from preoperative risk stratification, to intraoperative approaches, and finally the postoperative period. Furthermore, we have discussed the challenges and latest innovations relevant to each of these pathway checkpoints that are promising to improve outcomes for frail surgical patients.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74889,"journal":{"name":"Surgery (Oxford, Oxfordshire)","volume":"43 3","pages":"Pages 160-165"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143641904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Clinical entrepreneurship: a driver for digital transformation in surgery","authors":"Emily C Mills, Grant Nolan, Tony Young","doi":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2025.01.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2025.01.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Clinical entrepreneurship describes the act of a healthcare professional starting a business with the aim of making a profit. They use their experience to generate sustainable and scalable solutions to healthcare problems. Workforce development programmes, like the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (NHS CEP), allow innovators to learn the critical business and financial skills required to progress their ideas. Digital transformation is a key area for Clinical Entrepreneurs. Utilizing novel digital technologies, robotics and artificial intelligence, new innovations are set to improve patient outcomes, lower costs, and increase surgical efficiency. This article outlines some of the most exciting areas of digital transformation in surgery. There are numerous challenges facing the adoption of digital innovation in surgery, which include integration with electronic patient record (EPR) systems, legacy infrastructure, variable regulatory, information governance and procurement processes and sometimes conflicting cultural opinions of key decision makers. Clinical entrepreneurship offers a new way to help address these barriers and deliver digital transformation in surgery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74889,"journal":{"name":"Surgery (Oxford, Oxfordshire)","volume":"43 3","pages":"Pages 135-139"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143642006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Artificial intelligence in surgery: what is needed for ongoing innovation","authors":"Vivek Singh, Shubha Vasisht, Daniel A Hashimoto","doi":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2024.12.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2024.12.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming various fields, including surgery. AI's ability to process large datasets and deliver real-time insights has the potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy, risk prediction, and intraoperative decision-making. However, challenges such as algorithmic bias, data privacy, and the need for surgeon AI literacy hinder broader implementation. While AI holds significant potential to revolutionize surgical practice, its safe and effective integration requires improved AI literacy among surgeons and more effective regulatory frameworks. Addressing these challenges will be critical to ensuring that AI enhances, rather than disrupts, patient care. This paper reviews the integration of AI into surgery, examining its current applications, challenges, and future directions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74889,"journal":{"name":"Surgery (Oxford, Oxfordshire)","volume":"43 3","pages":"Pages 129-134"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143642009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alyss Vaughan Robinson, Jonathan Noël, Adam Peckham-Cooper, Victoria Pegna
{"title":"How can the model for a sustainable surgical pathway be enhanced by digital medicine?","authors":"Alyss Vaughan Robinson, Jonathan Noël, Adam Peckham-Cooper, Victoria Pegna","doi":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2024.12.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2024.12.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change is having a significant impact on human health and surgery is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions from healthcare. Digital health refers to the use of digital technologies and tools to improve healthcare delivery, enhance health outcomes, and increase the efficiency of healthcare systems. It encompasses a broad range of applications, from mobile health apps and wearable devices to telemedicine, electronic records, and advanced data analytics. These can all be successfully applied to the surgical pathway, reducing the burden on carbon-intensive healthcare systems through minimizing operative risk, enhancing the patient's perioperative experience and modelling sustainable resource use. However, many of these technologies are in their infancy and more evidence is required to ensure that potentially costly technologies and hardware are worthwhile for patients and minimize the environmental impact of surgery. This is particularly relevant to robotic surgery, which is significantly more carbon-intensive than equivalent laparoscopic and open procedures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74889,"journal":{"name":"Surgery (Oxford, Oxfordshire)","volume":"43 3","pages":"Pages 153-159"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143641903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Extended reality in surgery – past, present, and future","authors":"Gao Yujia","doi":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2024.12.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2024.12.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Extended reality (XR) technology, encompassing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), has evolved significantly in its application to surgery. Initially limited by technical constraints, XR has progressed from basic VR applications in the 1990s to more sophisticated MR systems today. Current applications include advanced surgical training, detailed preoperative planning, intraoperative guidance, and remote surgical assistance. XR offers unique advantages in surgical education, allowing trainees to develop muscle memory while interacting with 3D anatomical models. In surgical planning and navigation, it enables surgeons to visualize complex 3D anatomies directly, potentially improving precision and reducing complications. Remote surgical assistance through XR platforms has shown promise in addressing healthcare disparities. However, the integration of XR in surgery faces several challenges. These include hardware limitations like image resolution and device comfort, software complexities, computing power constraints, and wireless communication issues. Data privacy and security concerns are significant, especially when handling sensitive patient information. Clinical validation remains a hurdle, with a need for standardized evaluation metrics and large-scale trials. User acceptance is also critical, as surgeons must adapt to new technologies and overcome potential resistance to change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74889,"journal":{"name":"Surgery (Oxford, Oxfordshire)","volume":"43 3","pages":"Pages 140-145"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143642010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Umar Rehman, Mohammad Sohaib Sarwar, Steve Jarvis, Rachel S. Oeppen, Peter A. Brennan
{"title":"The critical importance of non-technical skills in developing surgical teams in the digital era","authors":"Umar Rehman, Mohammad Sohaib Sarwar, Steve Jarvis, Rachel S. Oeppen, Peter A. Brennan","doi":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2025.01.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2025.01.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Human errors are common in both personal and professional settings. Human factors encompass how individuals and teams interact with each other, their environment, and technology. Fatigue, hydration, nutrition, and stress significantly impact surgical performance and patient safety. Regular breaks, proper hydration, balanced nutrition, and stress management enhance cognitive function and team dynamics, thereby reducing errors. Surgical technology including robot-assisted surgery, presents unique challenges that can increase the propensity of error, particularly in communication. This necessitates further system and workplace optimization to minimize risks. Digital technology helps reduce medical errors and ensures prompt access to senior support. Platforms like WhatsApp enable trainees to quickly contact consultants, thus enhancing patient safety. This strategy is associated with reduced workload, improved trainee support and reliable imaging review. However, compliance with data protection and information governance is crucial and further work may be required to develop secure platforms that maintain confidentiality and data safety. This review examines the prevalence of medical errors and delves into factors and strategies to mitigate them, thereby enhancing teamwork and patient safety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74889,"journal":{"name":"Surgery (Oxford, Oxfordshire)","volume":"43 3","pages":"Pages 171-177"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143641906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Making the most of clinical fellowships – robotics, data science and artificial intelligence","authors":"Luis Ribeiro, Nicholas Raison","doi":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2025.01.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2025.01.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid advancement of surgical technologies, including robotics, data science and artificial intelligence (AI), has created a widening gap between the skills required by modern surgeons and the offerings of traditional training programmes. Historically, this gap led to the development of specialized clinical fellowships, which have now become essential for surgeons seeking to master these emerging technologies. Robotic surgery and AI demand new competencies, yet these are not fully integrated into current surgical curricula. Fellowships in robotic surgery and digital health offer structured, hands-on training, combining theoretical knowledge with practical application. Integration of AI with robotics has shown significant promise in improving intraoperative performance and surgical education. Digital fellowships, such as the Topol Digital Fellowship and NHS Clinical AI Fellowship, focus on developing leadership in digital transformation within healthcare, equipping surgeons with skills in data analysis, machine learning, and AI applications. As surgery becomes increasingly intertwined with data science and AI, these fellowships are not only addressing current educational gaps but also paving the way for a technologically adept surgical workforce, capable of leveraging advanced technologies to enhance patient care.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74889,"journal":{"name":"Surgery (Oxford, Oxfordshire)","volume":"43 3","pages":"Pages 166-170"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143641905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Test yourself: MCQ and single best answer","authors":"Adrian Ben Cresswell","doi":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2025.01.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2025.01.012","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":74889,"journal":{"name":"Surgery (Oxford, Oxfordshire)","volume":"43 3","pages":"Pages 178-179"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143641907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The impact of cancer genomics across the surgical pathway","authors":"Adam C. Chambers, Frank D. McDermott","doi":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2025.02.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mpsur.2025.02.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The human genome is comprised of 3 billion base pairs and understanding genomics is crucial for providing modern surgical care. Variants (mutations) in DNA can predispose to disease. Cancer genomes are heterogeneous, and a tumour is often comprised of multiple different clones of cells (tumour heterogeneity). Genomics has implications for screening, diagnostics, pharmacogenomics, identifying minimal residual disease (MRD) and monitoring disease. Testing in NHS England is performed by seven genomic laboratory hubs that provide testing for rare disease and cancers. Testing includes single gene tests, gene panels, whole exome sequencing (WES – coding genes only) and whole genome sequencing (WGS). Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) is being used as a diagnostic tool in non-small cell lung cancer and is being used more widely for other cancer indications including monitoring of disease to personalize chemotherapy choice based on the tumours' molecular profile. Cancer vaccines are a type of immunotherapy that can prime the immune system to identify cancer cells and destroy them. The BNT122-01 colorectal cancer study, for example, uses an mRNA vaccine that is bespoke to a patient's tumour (patients that are ctDNA positive and are receiving adjuvant chemotherapy). Surgical teams need to be educated and up-skilled in the use of these new technologies to personalize care and improve outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":74889,"journal":{"name":"Surgery (Oxford, Oxfordshire)","volume":"43 3","pages":"Pages 146-152"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143642011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}