Surgery Department

Clinicians, scientists and other medical experts at Cedars-Sinai are working closely with the United States military to design the operating room of the future, a place where surgical teams will soon integrate cutting-edge technology with new collaborative practices. This means rethinking virtually all aspects of the surgical enterprise, including such things as lighting, ergonomics and the positioning of advanced surgical equipment.

The human factor—how medical personnel communicate as they incorporate new technology—will remain the most important aspect of this work, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and has far-reaching implications for the treatment of patients on the battlefield and in civilian operating rooms. "Teamwork is always the most essential thing," said Bruce Gewertz, MD. There is no technological solution without a human solution."

Cedars-Sinai has long been a pioneer in the use of minimally-invasive surgery. Physician scientists have literally invented the techniques and the equipment to perform complex surgeries on the lungs, the colon and other organs, allowing patients to recover more quickly and with less pain.

Innovations in laparoscopic and endoscopic techniques have provided the basis for all minimally-invasive surgeries performed today. Cedars-Sinai has become a leading education and training hub for surgeons of tomorrow, and this area of expertise will continue to be a major focus of research within the medical center.