With the continuous advancement of technology, it is no surprise that even our surgeries are becoming more and more high-tech. From pacemakers to hip replacements, AI is playing a larger role in the medical field than ever before. And while there are many benefits to this, there are also some concerns that come along with it.
AI in the medical field is improving patient care and outcomes, streamlining medical research, reducing risks, and providing new avenues for collaboration among physicians. The main goal of AI is to stop the spread of disease and minimize the death and suffering due to medical errors. While this uses a lot of hardware and software, specifically computer vision and machine learning.
Machine Learning, on the other hand, uses “training” data and a “teacher” to predict predicted outcomes. Machine learning uses algorithms to learn from experience and predict outcomes.
These algorithms are typically represented by decision trees and are used when there is a large number of examples, which is very common in medical applications. The machine learning processes in medical AI use mathematical data structures such as decision trees and artificial neural networks.
Pharmaceutical companies have started using machine learning models to find new ways to develop drugs based on similar substances called analogs; an example of this is the development of the drug Avastin after finding the drug Lucentis found causes cancer cells to multiply faster than normal cells.
The Current State Of AI In Surgery
Surgery is one of the most lucrative areas for medical AI. AI can increase medical personnel’s productivity, accuracy, and efficiency by providing them with an operating virtual assistant.
Several systems have been developed over the years to teach surgical assistants to conduct simple tasks such as suturing, clamping bleeding vessels, and locating different organs. However, while much of this can be done by current technology, it requires a lot of human interaction and physician supervision.
Robots, which are predicted to be worth $40 billion to healthcare, may evaluate data from pre-op medical records to direct a surgeon’s tool during surgery, potentially reducing a patient’s hospital stay by 21%.
Virtual surgery using augmented reality is on its way as well. A modern surgical suite with augmented reality equipment would be beneficial to everyone involved. A surgeon could use augmented reality equipment to view the patient’s situation. This could decrease the time it takes to operate, reduce injuries, and provide a more accurate diagnosis.
Personalized medicine is on its way as well. AI will be able to provide each individual with the ability to say what their risk of heart attacks or diseases such as cancer are, and what their lifespans are likely to be. This will allow them to make educated decisions regarding futures plans such as retirement and investments.
The Future Of AI In Surgery
In one research of 379 orthopaedic patients, AI-assisted robotic procedures resulted in five times fewer problems than surgeons operating alone.
AI in surgery has been limited to computer-assisted procedures. This is because a majority of surgery is not assisted by machines, but rather depends on the skill and knowledge of man. However, AI is becoming more common in surgical practice as surgeons become more open-minded.
Virtual reality technology is growing very rapidly and will be the future of surgical training. Surgical skills are best learned under supervision, which means that surgeons have to train new doctors every year.
This time could be better spent if they had a virtual reality simulator which could provide them with a consistent high level of training without having to waste years with trainees who might never become competent in the field.
Advantages Of AI In Surgery
Surgical robots are increasingly being used in surgical procedures due to their ability to perform minimally invasive surgery. Robotic surgery is less invasive than traditional surgery, and as a result, patients experience less pain and scarring. In addition, surgical robots can be controlled by the surgeon, which allows for greater precision and accuracy.
For the first time, a robot was utilised in an eye operation, and the most modern surgical robot, the Da Vinci, enabling surgeons to conduct difficult surgeries with better control than traditional ways.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in the medical field, from smart tissue autonomous robots to robot-assisted surgery. While AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare, there are concerns that human surgeons may be replaced by machines.
Some argue that AI is simply a tool that can assist surgeons, while others believe that machine learning will eventually allow robots to outperform human surgeons.
1. Medical Errors Are Considerably Reduced
It is not uncommon to hear stories of doctors putting their hand down the wrong way or operating on the wrong side during a surgery. AI can reduce this by providing the ability to track everything in real time.
This will not only help prevent mistakes but also provide a high level of documentation, which can be extremely beneficial for insurance companies or legal reasons. It will allow physicians to better understand patients’ health and treatment plans, and thus reduce complications.
2. Operative Times Could Be Cut Down
When AI tracks an ongoing procedure, it can direct the surgeon’s hand when needed to avoid excessive damage or even death. This can help make the procedure go faster, since less time will be spent going through procedures.
Heart surgeons are supported with the Heartlander, a compact robot that enters the chest through a small incision to do mapping and treatment on the surface of the heart.
3. Emotions And Psychological Factors Can Be Better Understood
A lot of surgeons deal with stress on a daily basis, but they are not as willing to talk about it or share their experiences. AI can help with emotional and psychological factors since it can track how stressed a surgeon is in real-time through their voice and actions.
This allows for better practices and the ability to find weaknesses in the system before something bad happens. It also gives patients peace of mind to know that their surgeon is well rested, ready, and focused solely on them.
4. Precise Sizing Of Surgical Instruments Can Be Done
A lot of the procedure is guided by what the surgeon thinks will fit. However, this may lead to mistakes if they are not careful. AI can help with sizing by providing measurements based on the patient’s creation, physical features, age, and whatever other information it is able to gather. This will ensure that procedures aren’t rushed or done in an awkward manner because a doctor wasn’t aware how deep or wide it should be.
5. Reducing Medical Errors Via Constant Supervision
AI can track a doctor’s hand and flag when they are doing something wrong. This allows them to be aware of the situation quickly and adjust accordingly. While it is true that this would slow down operations, it will also help with saving time in the long run as there would be less mistakes. It can also reduce the need for a lot of extra equipment since fewer errors will be made in the first place.
6. New Technologies May Become Possible
Since AI can track everything, it can be useful for making surgical robots that assist during surgery without fear of hurting someone. The technology would work hand-in-hand with the AI, so there would be no danger of someone getting hurt.
7. Would Reduce Risk Of Mistakes During Procedures
In addition to AI tracking every moment of a surgery as it is being performed, it can also track data such as blood pressure, heart rate, and other life signs that can show how a patient is doing during the procedure.
If anything happens that may affect the patient’s condition or push them too far, the surgery can be paused until they are ready to continue. This would allow for more accurate procedures and prevent unnecessary damage caused by rushing or performing something incorrectly.
8. Reduce Time And Expenses Of Training Physicians
Since AI can track data in real-time, it can be used to train surgeons. They will be able to practice the same procedure hundreds of times without having to worry about messing up and causing a severely injured patient or themselves.
This means that trainees will spend less time in surgery and more time on surgeries they can perform. This will allow a physician to finish their residency much faster while being confident they are performing well. Since they are working with virtual reality technology, there is no need for them to learn on actual patients because the software will provide the same level of learning.
Disadvantages Of AI In Surgery
Surgical robotics is an emerging field that is redefining surgical skills and capabilities. Computer vision and clinical data are being used to create robotic surgical systems that are able to replicate the movements of a human surgeon. These systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated and are being used in a variety of medical procedures.
Virtual nursing assistants might save the healthcare sector $20 billion per year by connecting with patients and sending them to the most appropriate care environment.
Autonomous robotic surgery is a growing field of surgical intervention that includes AI assisted surgery. This robotic technology is designed to help surgeons reduce surgical site infections and improve patient outcomes.
1. Adoption May Also Come At A Cost
Some feel that AI is not affordable for everyone. While this may be true, there is no reason to think it will never become affordable for everyone. The technology is still new and evolving quite rapidly so costs are likely to decrease over time as its usefulness expands.
2. Optimists Nake Mistakes Too
In the same way that AI can track where the surgeon’s hand is located, it can also track where the surgeon’s optimism is placed. If a doctor places too much hope in something, they are more likely to make errors than if they were critical of something. This leads to more errors overall and more damaged patients who need extra time and care.
3. May Be Impossible To Completely Eliminate Mistakes
One of the biggest reasons AI is so dangerous is because it could make doctors so reliant on it that they never learn to rely on themselves. While AI can help with a lot of things, there are always some things that cannot be tracked and handled by an AI.
Even though a mistake may be caught by AI, the doctor in charge may not have learned how to correctly handle that situation without the help of the machine. While this could become an additional skill they can develop, it is more likely they will become dependent upon their machinery and forget how to complete basic tasks without assistance from AI.
4.. Doctors May Become More Arrogant
Doctors will become more arrogant from AI if they learn how to rely on the computer instead of their own skills. If something goes wrong, they may not be able to handle it by themselves and could cause a lot of damage.
Even if they are able to handle some situations, they may feel like they no longer need to learn new skills and just rely on the AI. This could lead to bad practices and questionable decisions when performing surgeries.
5.. There Is A Risk Of Oversimplification
The data provided by AI is limited by its creators. The information will be tailored to their beliefs or intentions, so patients could suffer because the potential treatments have not been considered.
Doctors may want to use certain procedures because of the results they are able to achieve. Without thinking about how their patients will be impacted by the surgery and how complications could occur, they may skip things that could really save lives. This can lead to more people who die because of a simple oversight or ineffectiveness of a treatment.
6. May Not Be Able To Find Every Issue
AI is not a complete replacement for skilled doctors. For example, it may need help with some aspects of each procedure but can’t do everything on its own. There could be cases where AI cannot detect any issues and is unable to alert the doctor of anything going wrong at all. This could lead to a patient being injured and it would be impossible to determine if it was due to the AI or negligence by the doctor.
7. May Not Be Able To Handle Unusual Cases Well
The doctor may choose to use AI because they want a simpler surgery that is less complicated and takes less time. They may wish to avoid situations where they have to learn new skills or deal with unexpected issues in their procedures.
This could put the patient at serious risk if the doctor fails because of a lack of experience with unique medical conditions or issues that can’t be predicted in advance. If a situation arises that causes them trouble, AI may not be able to help them since it was not designed for these situations in the first place.
8. May Not Always Be Able To Keep Up With The Changes
The AI that is being used for surgical procedures may need updates in order to handle new situations and provide safe results. It may not be able to predict everything needed or be able to react quickly enough when a complication arises.
If it has not been upgraded in a while, it may no longer function properly when needed. This could lead to critical assessments and treatments not being performed correctly or safely. For this reason, surgeons should remain up to date on the latest advancements so they can improve their skills as they learn more about AI and how it can help them in their daily lives.
Final Note
Some feel that AI will change the way surgery is performed entirely. If a doctor does not do well during their training, patients may suffer as a result. This could mean that the doctor will be unable to perform any surgeries at all, leading to lost income and wasted time.
If a doctor does not learn how to perform certain procedures without help from AI, there is a risk that they will continue to do poorly and never be able to learn new skills or improve their overall performance.
A Danish AI software startup put its deep-learning technology to the test by having a computer listen in while human dispatchers handled emergency calls. The programme used what a person said, tone of voice, and background noise to detect cardiac arrests with a 93% success rate, compared to 73% for humans.
The success of surgery depends on the skill of the surgeon performing it as well as their ability to deal with situations that arise while practicing it.
Last Updated on October 4, 2022 by himani
