foregut procedures or bariatric cases when you're worried about the
level of blood supply to the operative site.
Dr. Renton: One neat adjunct technology constantly identifies dark areas
in an HD image and automatically adjusts the pixels so anatomy in
those areas is still visible. The iris on conventional cameras closes
when the foreground images get too bright in order to limit the glare.
The technology adjusts the entire picture so the background doesn't
get washed out — it becomes the same brightness so you can contin-
ue to see it without having to constantly reposition the camera.
Are imaging innovations more hype than helpful?
How much do they really matter?
Dr. Renton: The pendulum swings both ways whenever new technology
is introduced. It swings one way when everyone wants to use it for
everything, and then it swings in the other direction when surgeons
say it makes no clinical difference. It eventually settles somewhere in
the middle, where some applications are worth it and some aren't,
and there's data to indicate which ones are which.
Mr. Razavi: We're actively recruiting physicians who are interested in
working with the latest and greatest. Most of our docs have come from
other facilities where they were involved in adding technology, but
could never get to the next level. We're willing to invest in the tools they
need to optimize patient care. Surgeons and surgical administrators are
truly focused on better outcomes. In most cases, they're also data-dri-
ven. They're not like consumers, who want the latest smartphone
because it's cool. They want to use the latest technology that shows
some ability to improve the procedures they perform. Most surgeons
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