Surgeons’ perspectives on artificial intelligence to support clinical decision-making in trauma and emergency contexts: results from an international survey

Cobianchi, Lorenzo; Piccolo, Daniele; Dal Mas, Francesca; Agnoletti, Vanni; Ansaloni, Luca; Balch, Jeremy; Biffl, Walter; Butturini, Giovanni; Catena, Fausto; Coccolini, Federico; Denicolai, Stefano; De Simone, Belinda; Frigerio, Isabella; Fugazzola, Paola; Marseglia, Gianluigi; Marseglia, Giuseppe Roberto; Martellucci, Jacopo; Modenese, Mirko; Previtali, Pietro; Ruta, Federico; Enninghorst, Natalie; Amico, Francesco; Venturi, Alessandro; Kaafarani, HM; Loftus, TJ; Abbott, KL; Abdelmalik, A; Abebe, NS; Abu-Zidan, F; Adam, YAY; Adamou, H; Adamovich, DM; Agresta, F; Agrusa, A; Akin, E; Alessiani, M; Alexandrino, H; Ali, SM; Mihai, VA; Almeida, PM; Al-Shehari, MM; Altomare, M; Ammendola, M; Andreuccetti, J; Anestiadou, E; Angelos, P; Annicchiarico, A; Antonelli, A; Aparicio-Sanchez, D; Ardito, A; Argenio, G; Arvieux, CC; Askevold, IH; Atanasov, BT; Augustin, G; Awad, SS; Bacchiocchi, G; Bagnoli, C; Bahouth, H; Baili, E; Bains, L; Baiocchi, GL; Bala, M; Balagué, C; Balalis, D; Baldini, E; Baraket, O; Baral, S; Barone, M; Barranquero, AG; Barreras, JA; Bass, GA; Bayhan, Z; Bellanova, G; Ben-Ishay, O; Bert, F; Bianchi, V; Biancuzzi, H; Bidoli, C; Radulescu, RB; Bignell, MB; Biloslavo, A; Bini, R; Bissacco, D; Boati, P; Boddaert, G; Bogdanic, B; Bombardini, C; Bonavina, L; Bonomo, L; Bottari, A; Bouliaris, K; Brachini, G; Brillantino, A; Brisinda, G; Bulanauca, MM; Buonomo, LA; Burcharth, J; Buscemi, S; Calabretto, F; Calini, G

Surgeons’ perspectives on artificial intelligence to support clinical decision-making in trauma and emergency contexts: results from an international survey

journal contribution

posted on 2025-05-09, 03:20 authored by Lorenzo Cobianchi, Daniele Piccolo, Francesca Dal Mas, Vanni Agnoletti, Luca Ansaloni, Jeremy Balch, Walter Biffl, Giovanni Butturini, Fausto Catena, Federico Coccolini, Stefano Denicolai, Belinda De Simone, Isabella Frigerio, Paola Fugazzola, Gianluigi Marseglia, Giuseppe Roberto Marseglia, Jacopo Martellucci, Mirko Modenese, Pietro Previtali, Federico Ruta, Natalie EnninghorstNatalie Enninghorst, Francesco AmicoFrancesco Amico, Alessandro Venturi, HM Kaafarani, TJ Loftus, KL Abbott, A Abdelmalik, NS Abebe, F Abu-Zidan, YAY Adam, H Adamou, DM Adamovich, F Agresta, A Agrusa, E Akin, M Alessiani, H Alexandrino, SM Ali, VA Mihai, PM Almeida, MM Al-Shehari, M Altomare, M Ammendola, J Andreuccetti, E Anestiadou, P Angelos, A Annicchiarico, A Antonelli, D Aparicio-Sanchez, A Ardito, G Argenio, CC Arvieux, IH Askevold, BT Atanasov, G Augustin, SS Awad, G Bacchiocchi, C Bagnoli, H Bahouth, E Baili, L Bains, GL Baiocchi, M Bala, C Balagué, D Balalis, E Baldini, O Baraket, S Baral, M Barone, AG Barranquero, JA Barreras, GA Bass, Z Bayhan, G Bellanova, O Ben-Ishay, F Bert, V Bianchi, H Biancuzzi, C Bidoli, RB Radulescu, MB Bignell, A Biloslavo, R Bini, D Bissacco, P Boati, G Boddaert, B Bogdanic, C Bombardini, L Bonavina, L Bonomo, A Bottari, K Bouliaris, G Brachini, A Brillantino, G Brisinda, MM Bulanauca, LA Buonomo, J Burcharth, S Buscemi, F Calabretto, G Calini

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining traction in medicine and surgery. AI-based applications can offer tools to examine high-volume data to inform predictive analytics that supports complex decision-making processes. Time-sensitive trauma and emergency contexts are often challenging. The study aims to investigate trauma and emergency surgeons’ knowledge and perception of using AI-based tools in clinical decision-making processes. Methods: An online survey grounded on literature regarding AI-enabled surgical decision-making aids was created by a multidisciplinary committee and endorsed by the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES). The survey was advertised to 917 WSES members through the society’s website and Twitter profile. Results: 650 surgeons from 71 countries in five continents participated in the survey. Results depict the presence of technology enthusiasts and skeptics and surgeons’ preference toward more classical decision-making aids like clinical guidelines, traditional training, and the support of their multidisciplinary colleagues. A lack of knowledge about several AI-related aspects emerges and is associated with mistrust. Discussion: The trauma and emergency surgical community is divided into those who firmly believe in the potential of AI and those who do not understand or trust AI-enabled surgical decision-making aids. Academic societies and surgical training programs should promote a foundational, working knowledge of clinical AI.

History

Journal title

World Journal of Emergency Surgery

Volume

18

Issue

1

Article number

1

Publisher

BioMed Central (BMC)

Language

en, English

College/Research Centre

College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing

School

School of Medicine and Public Health

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