Surgeons at St Mark’s National Bowel Hospital in Park Royal are trialling a new artificial intelligence system during bowel operations that could help make complex procedures safer.
The technology, called Eureka, acts as a live guide during surgery by colour-coding different parts of the body’s anatomy on a screen, helping surgeons navigate difficult procedures.
The AI analyses the surgical field in real time and highlights structures that can be difficult to identify with the naked eye. Developers believe it could help improve surgical precision and reduce the risk of accidental injury.
St Mark’s is among one of the first hospitals helping to evaluate the technology, which was developed by surgeons in Japan and is designed for minimally invasive and robotic surgery.
Consultant colorectal surgeon Mr Kapil Sahnan said using the system during a recent bowel operation was like having an “extra arm” in theatre.
