Stages and Evaluation of Surgical Innovation

Abstract

Aim. So far, not many clinical examples that follow the IDEAL (Idea, Development, Evaluation, Assessment, and Long-term study) recommendations for evaluating and reporting surgical innovation and adoption are available. Methods. In this article, all IDEAL stages will be described for a recent surgical innovation, the ileo neorectal anastomosis (INRA), a procedure restoring intestinal continuity after colectomy. Results. INRA showed that the technique of small-bowel transposition with a vascular pedicle is feasible, with good long-term results. From the patient’s point of view, no distinct advantage for INRA was found, with morbidity and functional results being in range with the gold standard ileal pouch anal anastomosis. Conclusion. The adoption of the IDEAL recommendations—that is, by performing evidence-based surgical studies—will improve surgical science, with the consequence that progress in surgical care continues and interventions become safer and more efficient and allow a better quality of life in surgical patients.