Better feedback for improved outcomes

This, he explained, would enable data collected during surgery to be gathered, shared, and reflected upon, to inform future surgeries. In this article, he looks at how new technology could make this a reality ‘sooner rather than later’.

In the operating theatre, knowledge is power; the power to save lives – yours, mine, whoever happens to be on the table.  In the world of the surgeon, knowing what you need to do, what the possible risks are, and how you can manage them, and, equally importantly, being empowered to make informed decisions quickly and calmly, are all vital.

I often refer to the aviation industry when I am talking or writing about this subject. You will recall the Indonesian Lion Air Flight 610 that crashed last October, killing all 189 crew and passengers. This was reportedly due to a sensor fault that caused the plane, a Boeing 737 Max 8, to dive uncontrollably. There was a known fault in the Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), but tragically it was not known widely enough. More importantly, there was a procedure to override it, and it was controllable – albeit in a complicated and ultimately crude fashion that required the cutting of power to the motor that was driving the nose down.