Current and future applications of artificial intelligence in surgery: implications for clinical practice and research

Abstract

Surgeons are skilled at making complex decisions over invasive procedures that can save lives and alleviate pain and avoid complications in patients. The knowledge to make these decisions is accumulated over years of schooling and practice. Their experience is in turn shared with others, also via peer-reviewed articles, which get published in larger and larger amounts every year. In this work, we review the literature related to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in surgery. We focus on what is currently available and what is likely to come in the near future in both clinical care and research. We show that AI has the potential to be a key tool to elevate the effectiveness of training and decision-making in surgery and the discovery of relevant and valid scientific knowledge in the surgical domain. We also address concerns about AI technology, including the inability for users to interpret algorithms as well as incorrect predictions. A better understanding of AI will allow surgeons to use new tools wisely for the benefit of their patients.

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“…However, generative AI presents a promising avenue for more effective and cost-efficient tools in simulation education in various knowledge domains [30]. In surgery, AI systems are already being used to generate performative feedback from live operative videos and have informed the design of tailored educational interventions to strengthen interprofessional teamwork in the operating room [31][32][33][34][35][36]. With the ability to generate "unique" text-based clinical scenarios, LLMs may offer a cost-effective alternative to cultivating select competencies in graduate surgical education, such as diagnostic reasoning and communication skills [37].…”