Technological advancements in surgical laparoscopy considering artificial intelligence: a survey among surgeons in Germany

PURPOSE: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into surgical laparoscopy has shown promising results in recent years. This survey aims to investigate the inconveniences of current conventional laparoscopy and to evaluate the attitudes and desires of surgeons in Germany towards new AI-based laparoscopic systems. METHODS: A 12-item web-based questionnaire was distributed to 38 German university hospitals as well as to a Germany-wide voluntary hospital association (CLINOTEL) consisting of 66 hospitals between July and November 2022. RESULTS: A total of 202 questionnaires were completed. The majority of respondents (88.1%) stated that they needed one assistant during laparoscopy and rated the assistants’ skillfulness as “very important” (39.6%) or “important” (49.5%). The most uncomfortable aspects of conventional laparoscopy were inappropriate camera movement (73.8%) and lens condensation (73.3%). Selected features that should be included in a new laparoscopic system were simple and intuitive maneuverability (81.2%), automatic de-fogging (80.7%), and self-cleaning of camera (77.2%). Furthermore, AI-based features were improvement of camera positioning (71.3%), visualization of anatomical landmarks (67.3%), image stabilization (66.8%), and tissue damage protection (59.4%). The reason for purchasing an AI-based system was to improve patient safety (86.1%); the reasonable price was €50.000–100.000 (34.2%), and it was expected to replace the existing assistants’ workflow up to 25% (41.6%). CONCLUSION: Simple and intuitive maneuverability with improved and image-stabilized camera guidance in combination with a lens cleaning system as well as AI-based augmentation of anatomical landmarks and tissue damage protection seem to be significant requirements for the further development of laparoscopic systems. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00423-023-03134-6.