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now able to do some procedures that formerly required general anes-
thesia. We can go inside, take out a large polyp — one that's 6 to 8
centimeters in diameter — repair the wall of the intestine, and do it
on an outpatient basis, or with a one-night stay, for a procedure that
used to require a one-week stay.
"And that's just the lead-in. ORs of the future are going to bring
together various concepts and techniques. I believe that in 10 years a
huge percentage of intestinal procedures will be accomplished in out-
patient settings. Better devices, better imaging and better biomaterials
are the 3 keys."
Dr. Gewertz agrees. "Visualization and lighting are going to continue
to improve and video is going to continue to revolutionize surgery.
One of the most obvious areas is video intubation. Intubation can be
L O O K I N G A H E A D
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