General surgery: Current trends and recent innovations

Abstract

In surgery, new technology has been developed to eliminate some problems that surgeons face during more challenging laparoscopic or conventional operations. Surgical robotic systems have restored much of what was lost and altered the learning curve in the surgeon's favor. At the same time, advanced surgical instruments and optics continue the trend of the smaller scar. Minimally invasive surgery has given birth to a new and exciting era in surgical research. The future of surgical research lies, in part, in computer and visual technology. This chapter begins by describing many of the current trends in surgical research. The second half of the chapter describes the latest innovations in general surgical research. Surgeons in numerous disciplines continue to make great strides in basic science research. However, the latest and most exciting innovations have largely developed through the integration of new innovative technology into surgical practice. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010.