What is surgical research?

Abstract

In this paper, delivered before the European SocietyBronowski, Johann Darwin, for Experimental Surgery in Oslo, May 3, 1973, Dr. Francis Moore defines surgical research as ‘research in human biology that will benefit surgical care’. He shows the importance of the development of this definition and the importance of avoiding more narrow functional or operational definitions depending upon the name of the person doing the research, his previous training or the location of the laboratory. Dr. Moore also emphasizes that surgical research can be categorized in three main areas: discovery (bioscience), development (bioengineering), and delivery (societal studies of surgical care to population). Dr. Moore points out that the first of these has been developed for several centuries, that bioengineering is a new and growing concept for a familiar aspect of surgery, though much of which is of an engineering nature. These studies of surgical care delivery, analysis of the surgical needs of populations and how they are being met both from a societal, clinical, and economic point of view, are much needed at this time.