The State of the Hybrid Operating Room: Technological Acceleration at the Pinnacle of Collaboration

Abstract

As imaging technologies expand to include image-guided anatomical navigation and surgical techniques evolve to accommodate increasingly complex interventions with minimally invasive approaches, interventionalists and surgeons have convened in a novel area of hospitals around the world, the hybrid operating room. Although these assets have long been used for cardiovascular procedures, the integration of these tools in a designated surgery suite has given rise to a variety of novel interventions and multi-specialty collaborations. In this review, we highlight current international hybrid room experiences in many fields, spanning from neurosurgery to urology. We also comment on our institutional journey of surgery-interventional radiology collaborations in developing our image-guided surgery program for a pediatric population. As the hybrid operating room continues to gain traction globally, surgeons and interventional radiologists’ creativity and collaborative problem-solving skills will continue to be pushed to improve patient care. Identifying practice gaps and collaborating with industry is vital for further refinement of these tools.