Surgical gestures—An emerging field for surgical assessment and training

Abstract As surgical training shifts from a traditional method to a more standardized approach, objective analysis and assessment of surgeon performance has become a key focus. Surgical gestures, defined as the smallest independent units of instrument‐tissue interaction, offer a quantifiable way to analyze surgical performance. Standardizing the terminology for describing surgical gestures can enhance communication during surgical training in the operating room. More importantly, surgical gesture usage has been linked to surgeon expertise and has been shown to be associated with patient outcomes. This review examines current classification systems for surgical gestures in dissection and suturing tasks, across open, laparoscopic, and robotic procedures, which serve as an armamentarium for training surgeons. It also explores how surgical gestures can complement conventional surgical assessment tools. Finally, it reviews current artificial intelligent models on gesture recognition and automation, envisions a future where gesture recognition forms the foundation for intelligent assistance in the operating room.