Assistance in the OR: Support at the critical moment

In the OR, what matters is what information is available and whether it reaches the right place at the right time. How deep is the anesthesia? Where does diseased tissue end? How can an instrument be safely guided through difficult-to-access structures? Clinical teams have to find answers to questions like these during a procedure, often under significant time pressure. New sensors, imaging systems, and robotic assistance are designed to address precisely these decision-making situations. For modern clinics, this raises a central question: How can technical precision translate into support that truly integrates into the clinical workflow?

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP and LMU Munich are developing a photoacoustic propofol detector for continuous monitoring at the anesthesia workstation. While EEG monitoring measures the brain’s electrical activity, the new method is designed to measure the anesthetic directly in exhaled air.

The approach could provide the anesthesia team with additional information for individualized dosing. A prototype has already been tested in a clinical study at LMU. Three additional optimized prototypes are now intended to further validate the method.

The STAIN research project at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and its partners addresses another step in the OR workflow. The team is developing a camera that uses short-wave infrared radiation to distinguish tumor tissue and other structures based on their spectral properties. The method is designed to work without previously administered contrast agents.

The technology directly addresses intraoperative orientation. It is intended to help surgical teams identify tumor tissue while preserving sensitive structures such as nerves.

A development by ETH Zurich and clinical partners demonstrates how medical technology can support navigation. For the treatment of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, researchers developed a robotic platform with a magnetically controlled fetoscope. Using endoscopic images, the system also creates a panoramic view of the placenta to facilitate orientation during the procedure.

The potential clinical benefit lies in the combination of precise instrument guidance and improved visual orientation. The robotic platform could help clinical teams reach difficult-to-access vessels more precisely and perform complex procedures in a more controlled manner.

The da Vinci 5 surgical system is already closer to clinical implementation. The platform has received CE marking for certain cardiac surgical procedures in adults in Europe. These include thoracoscopically assisted cardiotomy procedures and minimally invasive coronary artery bypass procedures.

For hospitals, introducing the system involves several areas: training clinical teams, providing the necessary technical infrastructure, and integrating the platform into existing OR workflows. Imaging and digital functions support the process from preoperative planning through postoperative analysis.

For hospitals, the key question is therefore shifting from technical feasibility to practical implementation. New systems have to prove themselves at the operating table without unnecessarily complicating workflows or creating additional barriers for staff. Their concrete value becomes apparent where they facilitate decision-making and give clinical teams greater confidence in their actions.

Sources: ETH Zurich, Hochschule Anhalt, Fraunhofer IBP (German only), Intuitive Surgical Deutschland GmbH (German only)