Will AI Replace Surgical Assistants?

Verify the identity of patient or operative site.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.

Semi-structured cognitive task involving analysis, inspection, or monitoring.

Cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Coordinate or participate in the positioning of patients, using body stabilizing equipment or protective padding to provide appropriate exposure for the procedure or to protect against nerve damage or circulation impairment.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Prepare and apply sterile wound dressings.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Apply sutures, staples, clips, or other materials to close skin, facia, or subcutaneous wound layers.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Discuss with surgeon the nature of the surgical procedure, including operative consent, methods of operative exposure, diagnostic or laboratory data, or patient-advanced directives or other needs.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Determine availability of necessary equipment or supplies for operative procedures.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Clamp, ligate, or cauterize blood vessels to control bleeding during surgical entry, using hemostatic clamps, suture ligatures, or electrocautery equipment.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Assess skin integrity or other body conditions upon completion of the procedure to determine if damage has occurred from body positioning.

Semi-structured cognitive task involving analysis, inspection, or monitoring.

Assist with patient resuscitation during cardiac arrest or other life-threatening events.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Obtain or inspect sterile or non-sterile surgical equipment, instruments, or supplies.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Operate sterilizing devices.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Pass instruments or supplies to surgeon during procedure.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Monitor patient intra-operative status, including patient position, vital signs, or volume and color of blood.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Assist in the insertion, positioning, or suturing of closed-wound drainage systems.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Assist members of surgical team with gowning or gloving.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Gather, arrange, or assemble instruments or supplies.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Coordinate with anesthesia personnel to maintain patient temperature.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Adjust and maintain operating room temperature, humidity, or lighting, according to surgeon's specifications.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Assist in applying casts, splints, braces, or similar devices.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Transport patients to operating room.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Remove patient hair or disinfect incision sites to prepare patient for surgery.

Complex problem-solving, strategic leadership, or high-empathy task requiring human judgment.

Incise tissue layers in lower extremities to harvest veins.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Postoperatively inject a subcutaneous local anesthetic agent to reduce pain.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Insert or remove urinary bladder catheters.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.

Assist in volume replacement or autotransfusion techniques.

Semi-structured task combining routine and non-routine responsibilities.