The Potential of a Digital Twin in Surgery
Hanad Ahmed, Laurence Devoto
Abstract
Digital twins are virtual replicas of physical entities that go beyond a still image and encompass the dynamic functionality of the real-life object.1,2 They are widely used in industries such as construction and aviation. Their advent is said to mark the fourth industrial revolution for the innovation of new products and services.1 The concept is increasingly entering the healthcare industry with the aim of creating molecular and phenotypic copies of human beings that can allow for trialling of different therapies to elucidate the most efficacious treatment for the real-life patient.2 Although the literature is increasingly discussing the potential for medical specialities such as cardiology and oncology,3,4 there are few articles discussing their potential in surgical practice.