Fundamentals of digital surgery

Unlike earlier innovations that focused on manipulation and task precision, the latest surgical advancements emphasize data visualization and the acceleration of surgeons’ decision-making. Before entering the operating room, digital tools help surgeons develop patient-specific approaches, outline procedural steps, and prepare strategies for managing potential crises. During the operation, relevant data appear at the right moment to assist decision-making and guide performance in formats tailored to the surgeon’s physical and cognitive state, all without causing distractions. In the future operating room, performance data from surgeons will be gathered, integrated, and analyzed to interpret surgeons’ behavior and confidence. Advanced techniques, including artificial intelligence, can be employed to automatically detect moments of performance difficulty or cognitive overload. As a result, digital surgery provides timely, context-specific assistance to surgeons in high-stakes situations. Key components of digital surgery are highlighted in this narrative review.