Here's what three surgeons have to say about the technologies that could change orthopedics:
Note: These responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Jon Edgington, MD. Orthopedic Surgery and Joint Specialist with the Community Care Network (Hobart and Valparaiso, Ind.): Technology in joint replacements is something that I and others feel aids in reproducibility and accuracy. I think the interest in technology lies mainly in the ability for rapid recovery and same-day discharge in centers like ASCs. The push towards rapid recovery and same-day discharge in ASCs is only growing and will continue to grow in 2024.
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John Shin, MD. Orthopedic Spinal Surgeon at RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group (Livingston, N.J.): In 2024, we'll see the orthopedic industry increasingly favor minimally invasive spinal surgery procedures and techniques over more conventional surgeries. More doctors will be trained in new procedures like unilateral biportal endoscopic lumbar spinal surgery (which I performed for the first time in New Jersey). The technique utilizes the same principles, tools, and operating room equipment as traditional spinal surgeries while being ultra minimally invasive. It offers the benefits of faster recovery times, lower risk of infection, less postoperative pain, and shorter lengths of stay for adult patients. In that same vein, robotic/navigation surgery will also become more popular in the coming year as hospitals invest in the surgical equipment that makes these kinds of surgeries possible and available to patients.
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Anand Srinivasan, MD. Director of Anterior Hip Replacement Program at Endeavor Health Orthopaedic & Spine Institute (Gurnee, Glenview and Lincolnshire, Ill.): Two emerging technologies that have the potential to change orthopedics are ambient documentation in the outpatient setting and the use of augmented reality in the surgical setting. We are already seeing the use of devices in the operating room, and implant companies in joint replacement are creating augmented reality platforms to assist the surgeon during operative cases. Additionally, with labor costs increasing and inflation ever-present, ambient documentation that uses AI to synthesize a patient encounter may provide an alternative to a scribe or physician assistant for outpatient documentation. As such, a practice can then devote its valuable resources toward other clinical and functional tasks.
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