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Ethical Issues in Innovative Colorectal Surgery

  • Parviz Kamangar Humanities in Surgery Lectureship
  • Published:
Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Abstract

When physicians and surgeons investigate new drugs or devices, they must adhere to stringent regulatory standards governing human experimentation. Although these standards and regulations are not perfect, they serve to protect the interests of patients and research subjects. By contrast, few standards or regulations exist for innovative procedures, including new surgical techniques. Surgeons apply the term “innovative surgery” to describe practices ranging from minor technical modifications in standard procedures to nonvalidated investigational approaches indistinguishable from human research. By focusing on recent innovations in surgery, including colorectal surgery, this article proposes an ethical model of surgical innovation that protects patients while maintaining professional self-regulation of surgical advances.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, University of Chicago, Chicago , Illinois

    Jonathan M. Marron B.A. & Mark Siegler M.D.

Authors
  1. Jonathan M. Marron B.A.
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  2. Mark Siegler M.D.
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Marron, J., Siegler, M. Ethical Issues in Innovative Colorectal Surgery. Dis Colon Rectum 48, 1109–1113 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10350-004-0892-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10350-004-0892-5

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