Technological Advancements in Minimally Invasive Surgery

11Aug08

Technological advancements in minimally invasive surgery are evolving and are expected to rapidly drive this new growth sector over the next decade; the move away from historical and conventional open and invasive surgical procedures in Europe is evident. Other areas such as increased use of disposable surgical instruments; biologic, endoscopic, and laparoscopic products; electrosurgery; laser surgical techniques; and surgical robotics will all have a great impact on surgical procedures.
All new advances are scrutinized closely by both healthcare technology assessment bodies across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the U.K. to determine if new technology from commercial companies offers value-added benefits to both the patient and the payee before reimbursement code listing is approved and assigned. The surgical revolution and significant benefits promised by minimally invasive surgery have until recently been undermined and limited to simpler procedures, such as gallbladder removal.
For some surgeons, minimally invasive surgery limits their precision and dexterity, and effectively prevents its natural evolution and widespread acceptance in more technically complex procedures; surgeons have found that viewing procedures on a video monitor and operating with long, slender “chopstick” instruments can be difficult and uncomfortable. This situation within the surgical procedures market is seen to been changing, however, with the emergence during the past 18 months of a far wider scope of surgical procedures being carried out using minimally invasive techniques, and improved technology that is more user friendly and more comfortable for surgeons to use.
Minimally invasive surgery is being utilized in the operating room and day surgery is becoming commonplace worldwide. Future trends indicate that one of the most significant factors with surgical procedures in the operating room will be the need for preoperative rehearsal. This is viewed as a major factor in improving surgical procedure outcomes as well as:
• improving patient recovery time and clinical outcome;
• improving the time frame in which hospitals discharge patients;
• reducing hospital bed occupancy rates; and,
• reducing patient trauma.

Another factor that is becoming highly visible is medical litigation due to medical malpractice or errors; this has become evident in most countries with developed healthcare infrastructures. Thus, preoperative preparation is expected to be of greater significance in the future in order to reduce the risks associated with surgical procedures.

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