Eureka moment for surgeon
Colorectal surgeon Kapil Sahnan had a eureka! moment when he was one of the first people to use a new artificial intelligence system (AI) in inflammatory bowel disease surgery that colour codes internal anatomy during surgery.
Mr Sahnan who works at St Mark's National Bowel Hospital, described the tool as akin to having an “extra arm” during a bowel resection procedure on a woman in her 60s.
The technology, known as the Eureka system, analyses the surgical field in real time and overlays colours onto structures such as nerves, connective tissue, and other critical anatomical features.
It enhances precision, reduces the risk of accidental injury, and supports surgeons during complex procedures.
The system was developed by a team of Japanese surgeons with the AI able to recognise subtle structures that may be difficult to distinguish with the naked eye - especially in minimally invasive or robotic procedures.
For example, nerves might appear in green, connective tissue in turquoise, and other structures in distinct hues.
Surgeons could choose to keep the overlay constant or have it pulse intermittently depending on the stage of the procedure.
St Mark's is one of the sites helping evaluate the system.