What Kind Of Preparation Do Surgeons Consider Before Performing New Surgical Techniques?

This question was originally posted in Quora, and here are some selected answers.

What kind of preparation--beyond literature--do surgeons consider before incorporating/performing new techniques/surgeries?


Answer 1 by: Abraham Nunes, MD, MBA | Psychiatry Resident, Dalhousie University


If a patient presents in a moribund state, for which no other medical or surgical therapy is feasible, but for whom heroic measures may be warranted (such as a young individual who may return to productivity), and the surgeon feels that he or she bears sufficient proficiency in the basic elements of a novel technique, he or she may opt to perform the novel surgery on this patient.

Alternatively, and more commonly, pioneers of a novel surgical method Will often be sought out by surgeons from other centers to obtain further training in the procedure. Visiting surgeons are often accompanied by assistant surgeons, anesthesiologists, and/or other members of the home healthcare team. This underscores the importance of not only the surgeon training before a novel procedure, but of adopting a team-based approach to implementing a novel and/or risky surgical approach.

Often, if a novel surgical procedure involves new and/or expensive technologies, a business plan must be composed by the surgical team for the home hospital administration. This ensures that the necessary resources are available for that procedure.

In sum, surgeons will typically want to be more comfortable with actually performing the procedure, rather than simply knowing how to do it through reading literature. Practical experience is imperative to this end.

Answer 2 by: Patrick Driscoll, Analysis of medical technology (medical devices, biotech, biomaterials)

Surgical simulation systems have also become a resource for surgeons to not only safely practice new techniques but also, when integrated with actual patient data, preoperatively plan and practice procedures to anticipate and compensate for procedure challenges.

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