On the cutting edge : ethics and surgical innovation

Surgery is such a central part of contemporary health care that we take much of it for granted. Joint replacements, once innovative, are now commonplace, while laparoscopic, or 'keyhole' surgery has become the norm for many surgical procedures. Developments like these are the result of innovation. Successful innovation can be highly beneficial to patients. Prior to the use of stents for coronary artery disease, many patients underwent invasive open heart surgery; while organ transplants have transformed the lives of countless recipients. Yet surgical innovation has a dark side. Sometimes trying something new can have catastrophic effects.3 page(s