Artificial Intelligence in Surgery Revisited: Leveraging AI for Postoperative Instructions, Clinical Support, and Intelligent Monitoring

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming surgical care, with growing integration across all phases from preoperative planning to postoperative recovery. The role of AI in postoperative care represents a particularly promising frontier. Applications such as AI-generated discharge instructions, conversational chatbots, and computer vision-based wound monitoring have the potential to improve comprehension, enhance patient satisfaction, and reduce unnecessary health care utilization. While the economic impact remains underexplored, these innovations could substantially lower health care costs through safe, responsible implementation. This review explores current and emerging uses of AI in surgical aftercare, emphasizing its capacity to simplify complex information, provide accessible guidance beyond clinician availability, and enable early detection of complications. Thoughtful adoption of these tools may help bridge health literacy gaps, advance equitable care delivery, and optimize outcomes, particularly for underserved and marginalized populations.