Embracing the Smart Scalpel: AI in Surgery

Listen to this episode from The Theatre: Surgical Learning and Innovation Podcast on Spotify. With all the buzz around artificial intelligence in recent years, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. That’s why the Innovation Hub team is back—to break down the basics and bring you up to speed on the latest AI tools shaping the future of surgery. In this episode, Ryan Kerstein and Eve McMahon unpack how AI is transforming not just patient care, but the surgical profession itself. From real-time decision support to the emerging “Internet of Surgical Things,” we explore the cutting-edge technologies enhancing precision, reducing risk, and redefining what it means to be a surgeon in the digital age. But with great power comes great responsibility—so how do we ensure these tools are used ethically and effectively? Featuring insights from leading medical innovators and AI experts, this conversation reveals how that future of surgery might be written in code. Hosted by: Ryan Kerstein & Eve McMahonGuest: Umang Patel  Produced by: Andrea Pearson  For more information on the RCS England Innovation Hub please visit our website: RCS England Innovation Hub — Royal College of Surgeons  For more information on RCS England please visit our website: The Royal College of Surgeons of England — Royal College of Surgeons We would love to hear from you so please do reach out to us on social media, or email us at: [email protected]   -ResourcesNHS 10-Year Plan: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6866387fe6557c544c74db7a/fit-for-the-future-10-year-health-plan-for-england.pdf UMass Memorial Health and KATE AI: https://www.ummhealth.org/about-us/newsroom/umass-memorial-health-scales-kate-ai-platform-emergency-departments-systemwide-to-enhance-patient Ping An Good Doctor:  https://www.ft.com/partnercontent/ping-an-insurance/bridges-to-health-for-chinas-people.html Recent Bulletin article on using AI in healthcare: Gupta, S., Edwards, L. “Cracking the code: successfully navigating AI medical device innovation and regulation” The Bulletin of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 107.3 (2025). https://publishing.rcseng.ac.uk/doi/full/10.1308/rcsbull.2025.56 AI playbook for the UK Government MHRA Medical Device Guidance: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64a7d22d7a4c230013bba33c/Medical_device_stand-alone_software_including_apps__including_IVDMDs_.pdf Dataset biases: Kakish, D.R.K., AlSamhori, J.F., et al. “Transforming Dermatopathology With AI: Addressing Bias, Enhancing Interpretability, and Shaping Future Diagnostics.” Dermatological Reviews, 6: e70018. (2025) https://doi.org/10.1002/der2.70018 Umang Patel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drumangpatel/?originalSubdomain=uk