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Patients expect computer use in orthopaedic and trauma surgery
Ninety-three percent of surveyed patients would support more use of computers in orthopaedic surgery.
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Although most orthopaedic surgical procedures do not involve the use of intraoperative computer technology, most of the 122 patients that researchers surveyed said they expected orthopaedic surgery would involve the use of computer technology.
“Patients believe computer-assisted surgery is used in a majority of procedures,” Ross A. Fawdington, MRCS Ed, of Russells Hall Hospital, in Dudley, United Kingdom, said in a presentation.
Ross A. Fawdington
He noted that patients have come to expect more of medical care and of computers.
Trusting surgeons and computers
The patients who completed the questionnaire about intraoperative computer assistance, which included a nearly equal number of men and women with a mean age of 58 years — did so when they were patients at orthopaedic and fracture clinics. Two hundred and fifty questionnaires were distributed and 122 responses were received.
The survey results showed 83% of patients had previously undergone surgery and 65% of them thought there would be fewer complications with any kind of surgery if computer technology was used intraoperatively.
Among the respondents, 102 patients said they trusted the surgeon more than the computer compared to 20 patients who said they trusted the computer more than the surgeon.
“The computer does not replace the surgeon,” Fawdington said.
Seventy-eight percent of patients who completed the survey owned a computer and 72% of these patients reported themselves as computer literate.
Computers may aid results
In terms of short-term outcomes, 65% of respondents felt that operations assisted by computer technology would fare better in general, although 32% of the patients expected that outcomes would be about the same whether computer assistance was used or not.
Only 1% of respondents felt that the long-term outcomes would be worse, Fawdington noted.
During his presentation, Fawdington said, “Overall, a clear majority accepted the use of computer technology and trusted it. In fact, they expected it would be used much more in orthopaedic surgery than it currently is.”
Session moderator Anthony C.W. Hui, MA, FRCS Ed (Ortho), of Middlesbrough, United Kingdom, said during the paper’s discussion that in terms of increasing computer-assisted surgery utilization, “We need the patients to push it.” – by Susan M. Rapp
- Reference:
- Gandhi MJ. Paper #298. Presented at: British Orthopaedic Association Congress; Oct. 1-4, 2013; Birmingham, England.
- For more information:
- Ross A. Fawdington, MRCS Ed, can be reached at Trauma and Orthopaedic Department, Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley Group of Hospitals, Dudley, DY1 2HQ, United Kingdom; email: fawdy@doctors.org.uk.
- Anthony C.W. Hui, MA, FRCS Ed (Ortho), can be reached at South Tees Hospitals; email: anthonyhui@doctors.org.uk.
Disclosures: Fawdington has no relevant financial disclosures.
Perspective
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Kamal Deep, MBBS DO MS DNB FRCS MCh Orth FRCS Orth
This study raises an important and pertinent point. While computers have infiltrated every part of todays life, intraoperative use of computer technology by orthopaedic surgeons remains low. As per the study findings, the patient population expects us to be using the technology on a regular basis. When asked about this in clinics, our patients think the computers would make the surgery easier and more accurate.
One may wonder what is preventing surgeons from adopting this technology. Apart from the current financial era and a lack of full support by the industry, it is traditional surgical training with conventional methods that most prevents the use of this technology. However, the technology has shown its worth in the literature for accuracy, although there is still not enough functional evidence to support such utilization.
The industry needs to develop technology further to make it easier and efficient for surgeons to use and gather evidence. With patient demand and better performance, it is only a matter of time before the use of computer technology in the operating theatre becomes the norm rather than the exception.
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