Surgeon at a Workstation: Information Age Surgery Paper

Abstract

A new model of surgery is evolving to take full advantage of the improving technology available in the operating room. Surgeons have an increasing wealth of data available to them, but currently cannot effectively access that information during surgery. The next stage in Information Age surgery will see the relocation of the surgeon to a workstation from which data can be accessed and manipulated without interrupting surgical procedure. This workstation will allow the surgeon to control a surgical robotic system with audio, visual, and haptic sensory capabilities in order to replicate, and eventually augment, the sounds, sights, and tactile sensations of surgery. The potential benefits of a workstation include case rehearsal, individualized case profiles, real-time imaging, and immediate connectivity to a network of global medical data, resulting in greater efficiency and better outcomes. Surgical robotic systems are currently being developed to provide surgeons with these desirable features, ideal for the treatment of brain tumors. NeuroArm, a robotic technology developed at the University of Calgary, Canada, includes a sensory immersive workstation and has now been applied to over 30 neurosurgical patients.