ORs with less physical stress.
"In a way, imaging is about surgeon comfort, which is undervalued,"
says Dr. Barad. "We never used to think of that before, but now we're
more interested than ever in provider burnout and how to prevent it.
There's a value to surgeons being more comfortable, and it's not
insignificant."
Although bigger screens and increasingly better resolution have clar-
ified the surgical field, these advances have not reached the level of
an inflection point in terms of surgical outcomes, according to Dr.
Barad. That, he believes, will come with new technology that gives
surgeons the power to "see what they can't see."
One example: near-infrared fluorescence imaging (NIRF). The tech-
nology helps surgeons see vascularization and other delicate anatomi-
cal structures that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye. Similarly,
the technology can be used to show contrast between malignant tis-
sue and healthy surrounding tissue.
Here's how it works: After injecting a solution known as indocya-
nine green into the patient, the surgeon can view the surgical site
under fluorescence imaging, which makes blood vessels and other
structures appear bright green on the surgical display. Because sur-
geons have a clearer view of potential problem areas, such as the bile
duct during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, they can work with added
confidence when making cuts. NIRF also lets surgeons see where
blood flows through tissue and where blood supply is best, which is
where it'd be best to connect blood vessels or bowel segments. These
improved views of anatomy could result in improved surgical out-
comes.
What's next?
Ultra-high-def images displayed on large monitors have the potential
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