Pietro Mascagni, MD, PhD, a surgical resident at Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli and Clinical Research Advisor for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computer Science at IHU-Strasbourg, recently presented at an SRG Pillar meeting for the Center for Intelligent Imaging (ci2) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). His presentation, titled "AI for Surgical Quality Assurance," centered on the role of AI in enhancing surgical safety, training, and documentation, particularly through video-based assessments and computer-assisted interventions.
Dr. Mascagni highlighted the need for AI-driven solutions, citing global disparities in surgical access and the high rate of preventable complications. He described surgery as a data-rich but underutilized field and emphasized the potential of surgical data science to improve patient outcomes.
A significant focus of his research is AI-driven surgical video analysis. "We believe that vision is one of the best data sources from the operating room," he stated, explaining how AI can analyze endoscopic footage to improve surgical precision. One important application is assessing the Critical View of Safety (CVS) in laparoscopic cholecystectomy to prevent bile duct injuries. His study discovered that prompting surgeons to confirm CVS increased adherence from 16% to 70%, although maintaining compliance over time continued to be a challenge. To tackle this, his team developed AI-driven real-time feedback tools.
Dr. Mascagni also addressed the practical challenges of implementing AI in real-world surgical settings, including a lack of digital infrastructure in many hospitals and of AI apps approved for clinical use. To bridge this gap, his team has collaborated with industry partners to integrate AI into surgical workflows while maintaining a focus on usability and clinician trust. A significant part of this effort involves designing AI systems that provide actionable insights without overwhelming surgeons with excessive information.
To ensure the responsible integration of AI into surgical practice, Dr. Mascagni has been actively involved in educational initiatives designed to create collaboration between surgeons and computer scientists. He co-directs the Surgical Data Science Summer School at IHU-Strasbourg and leads AI-focused training sessions for surgical societies such as EAES. "We believe that if we don't bring in the same room the two communities and align incentives, we will not develop systems of clinical value," he stated.
Dr. Mascagni concluded by stressing the importance of structured data collection, rigorous validation, and strategic implementation to ensure AI's safe and effective integration into surgery, a vision that he is now pursuing with Scialytics.
To learn more about the upcoming SRG Pillar meetings, visit the ci2 events page.
