Introducing the iKnife, a device that analyzes surgical smoke to ID cancers.

We love advances in technology over at My Medical Malpractice Insurance. Especially when they can help doctors lower their risks and speed up complex surgeries that saves lives.

Science Translational Medicine published a study conducted at the medical school at Imperial College London about the uses of a new tool called the  iKnife last week. This device can analyze the smoke that arises when an electrosurgical tool slices through or cauterizes flesh. This can help physicians determine, during surgery, whether the tissues they are removing are cancerous.

The iKnife uses mass spectrometry to figure out the components of the tissue, enabling the surgeon to get a reading within a matter of seconds. Typically, during surgery, it can take 30+ minutes for tissue to be analyzed in a lab during surgery. This leaves the patient under anesthesia for additional time.

There are of course reservations when using a tool like this is a real setting, but we hope this is a step to help doctors speed up surgery without risk to the patient, thus lowering their risks.

What risks do you see in using the iKnife?  Would you consider using it?