Surgery

Overlaying 3D holograms on its wearer's view of the real world, Microsoft's HoloLens augmented reality headset has allowed users to do everything from reading emotions to taking a virtual tour of Mars. More recently, it's also been used to guide doctors performing lower limb surgery.

​According to recent studies, surgical site infections (SSIs) are the leading cause of hospital readmission following an operation. In hopes of catching those SSIs before readmission is necessary, scientists have developed an experimental app known as WoundCare.

Harvard engineers have developed the world’s smallest Delta robot, dubbed the MilliDelta. As its name suggests, the new robot measures just a few millimeters, and could lend a hand in precise picking, packing, manufacturing and surgery on the micro scale.

New research from the University of Queensland is shedding new light on what exactly is going on in our brains when we're knocked out by a general anesthetic – and it's much more complex that simply falling asleep.​

Researchers have used 3D-printing technology to produce individually-tailored model organs. These dummy organs could one day improve your chances of surviving surgery, by allowing doctors to plan and practice a lifesaving procedure on a realistic replica before putting you to the scalpel.

​​Advanced surgical glues that seal wounds faster could mean big things when it comes to medical care. A new material is showing particular promise in this regard, with the ability to be squirted directly into a wound, seal it in 60 seconds and dissolve thereafter. ​

​​Distinguishing cancerous tissue from healthy tissue is a chief concern when it comes to surgery. Researchers have now developed a pen-like device that could prove hugely valuable in this regard, working to identify cancerous tissue during surgery to boost the chances of a successful procedure.​

An operating theater isn't somewhere you'd normally expect to see someone belt out a saxophone solo lying on the table with their brain exposed. But that's exactly what musician Dan Fabbio​ did, as surgeons removed a tumor from his brain without disrupting his professional skills.

​One of the big challenges doctors face after patients suffer debilitating heart attacks is finding a way to repair the damage caused to the organ. To address this, a research team has developed a regenerative tissue patch​ that can be injected within the body without the need for invasive surgery.

​Slipped capital femoral epiphysis is the most common hip disorder in children aged 9 to 16. It's treated via surgery, and the quicker that the operation can be completed, the better. That's why scientists have been using 3D-printed models of patients' hips to greatly reduce surgery time.

​When the Dusky Arion slug feels threatened, it secretes a mucus that makes it almost impossible to remove from whatever surface it happens to be on. Inspired by that, scientists have created an adhesive gel that could conceivably be used in the human body.

A new material could help reduce the risk of bowel perforations or hernias, as surgeons are suturing up incisions in the abdominal wall. The material provides protection during surgery, yet harmlessly dissolves in a matter of hours.