The document discusses the integration of computers in medicine, highlighting their role in improving patient care, medical research, and education. It covers the evolution of computers, various applications in healthcare informatics, telemedicine, robotic surgery, and digital diagnostics. The conclusion emphasizes the transformative impact of technology on medicine while acknowledging the limitations and ethical considerations that remain.

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Computers in medicine.
Students Presentation Series
Community Medicine Dept.
Bayero University, Kano.

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 “Therefore let knowledge grow from
more to more and thus be human life
enriched. There is a lot to learn, to
see, to know and to do, but this will
depend on how informed you are. Let
not my people perish for lack of
knowledge.”

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INTRODUCTION
 What are computers.
 History of computers.
 The Digital world.
 Uses of Computers; Medical perspective.
 Prospect of Medicine in the digital world.
 Conclusion.
 Bibliography.

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What are computers.
 Any programmable electronic device that can
store, retrieve, process and extrapolate data
( Webster’s dictionary ).
 Medically, a scientific device that deals with
the storage, retrieval, shearing and optimal
use of biomedical information data for
problem identification, problem solving and
decision making.
 It touches all basic field of health sciences,
notably in the areas of computing and
communications.

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History of computers.
 Over the years, from birth of computer
devices great evolution have taken place
seemly faster than that of man himself;
progressed from simple device (300 B.C ) to
complex ones such as automated machines,
etc.
 In medicine, computers are causing incredible
advances in patient care and the
advancement of the science.

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Cont’ .
 Major innovations and medical knowledge
came into fore via the aid of computers, and
also the quality of patient care has vastly
improved.
 Recent event, an unprecedented
achievements have so far been recorded with
the advent of sophisticated computer based
devices such as MRI, Doppler USS etc., not
only used for diagnostic value but also of
paramount therapeutic significance.

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Digital World.
 World, now a global village. Well
computerized and full of digitals.
 The Internet has provides for Health/ Medical
Informatics. i.e. Healthcare informatics,
Research informatics and Informatics in
education. Which has explicitly improved
knowledge on medical practice and research.

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USES OF COMPUTERS: MEDICAL
PERSPECTIVE.
 Uses are many, but categorized into;
 Health care purposes ( health care
informatics)
 Research purposes ( Research Informatics )
 Education purposes ( Informatics in
Education )

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Health Care Informatics
 Telemedicine: The use of medical
information exchanged from one site to
another via electronic communications for
health and education of the patient and of the
health care provider for the purpose of
improving patient care. E.g. Specialists in a
particular site may assist to diagnose and
manage cases elsewhere

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MEDICAL INFORMATICS
 Sc. of managing & communicating
information. Computer based
 More information now accessible
 To the care providers
 To the consumers/interested public
 Information overload

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MEDICAL DATABASE
SEARCH
 “If practitioners attempt to keep up with
the literature by reading two articles per
day, by the end of one year, they would be
55 years behind.”
 Bibliographic database: MEDLINE,
POPLINE, CANCERLIT, HELIN, etc
 Online journals, e-text books

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EVIDENCE BASED MEDICINE
 From authority to evidence based practice
 Patient management plans based on information
in medical literature
 Practice guidelines, standard of care, algorithms,
clinical protocols etc
 Evidence based uses clinical research outcomes
to define acceptable treatments
 Online and paper based versions

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TELECONFERENCING
 Difficult surgical cases are discussed in
Telesurgical meetings.
 Suitable for multimodality treatment eg on
oncology
 Digital image transmission and
telediagnosis done
 Real time voice and video transmission
 Many centers and specialists involved
 Limitations: cost, access, system
complexity

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TELECONSULTING AND
TELEFOLLOW-UP
 Real time remote consultation and surgical
advice possible. Teleclinic
 Marriage b/w Digital tech, telephone, internet,
high bandwidth satellite communication
 Hx taking, remote physical exam with electronic
stethoscope, remote x-ray, teleradiography, are
all possible
 Communication may also be by ISDN or dial-up

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COMPUTER AIDED SURGICAL
TEACHING AND SIMULATION
 Halsteadian learning, the Learning curve
 Computer simulator teaching/learning models
 Virtual reality surgery
 The virtual human project
 Computer simulated 2D training for laparoscopy
and endoscopy, ADEPT system
 Future: simulation of path processes, diz
features, inv., op, virtual pt learning
 Life broadcast from theatre, networked theatres

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FRONTIERS IN COMPUTER
AIDED DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS
 From Hx & P/E to computer diagnostic
devices e.g. CT, MRI, ECG monitor etc
 New artificial intelligence algorithms,
Computer aided diagnostic programs e.g
mammograms. Acute abdomen.
 Artificial neural networks in medicine

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VIRTUAL ENDOSCOPY
 Realtime reconstruction of body organs done by
computer using CT, MRI, USS etc
 Virtual colonoscopy, bronchoscopy and upper
aerodigestive endoscopy
 3D computer generated imaging e.g for preop.
tumour visualization like liver ca
 Voice control/joystick control manipulation of 3D
images
 Stereoscopic video transmission of images b/w
sites e.g for discussion of histology specimen.

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MRI Scan Machine.

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COMPUTER AIDED SURGICAL
PROCEDURES
 Telesurgery
 Advanced endoscopy
 Image guided surgery
 Telemanipulation
 Robotic surgery

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THE SHIFTING PARADIGM IN
SURGERY
OPEN SURGERY
MINIMAL ACCESS SURGERY
LAPARAENDOSCOPIC SURGERY
TELEMANIPULATION SURGERY
ROBOT ASSISTED SURGERY

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TELESURGERY
 Allows remote surgical practice
 Images transmitted life
 Surgeon guided by experts in the field

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ADVANCED ENDOSCOPY
 From basic endoscopy to
laparaendoscopy
 Limitations of current laparaendoscopy
 Progress in advanced endoscopy
 Instruments/manipulators with increased
degree of freedom
 Tactile feedback devices
 Improved vision: high resolution, excellent
color quality, precise spatial information,
constant clear view

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IMAGE GUIDED SURGERY
 Possible b/c of image fusion made
possible by progress in digital
radiography
 Highly selective dissection now possible
e.g. in neurosurgery
 Life update of surgical fields possible
 Computer integrated surgical systems
leading to personalized surgery

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Telemanipulation
 Allows microsurgical procedures using
telemanipulators to downscale the
movement of the hand of the surgeon
 Tactile feedback now incorporated

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ROBOTIC SURGERY
 Advantages/limitations of robotic surgery
 Clinical applications of robotic surgery
 Challenges facing robotic surgery
 The future of robotic surgery

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Research Informatics
 Sample size estimation
 Sampling
 Data management
 Statistical analysis
 Information gathering and dissemination
 community based research.
 Injury notification and disease notification
 monitoring of noise levels, temperatures and
ionizing radiation levels in the industry

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Cont’.
 Literature searches on specific topics
 Quicker access to current information
 Online journals
 Useful methodology may be pick up

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Educational Purposes.
 Continuing Medical Education – Advanced
web based technology allows programmed
access to learning modules and tests.
 These maybe web based or on CD-ROM.
e.g GIS course and medical ethics training at
the NIH and university IRB sites.
 Consumer Informatics – Patients and
members of the public are provided with
health and drug information on the web e.g.
WebMD, Medconsult

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Health InterNetwork
 The Health InterNetwork was created to bridge the
"digital divide” and reduce the health information gap
between rich and poor countries.
 The aim is to ensure that relevant information is
widely available and effectively used by health
personnel: professionals, researchers and scientists,
and policy makers.

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Journals and Books
 Full text journals – BMJ, Biomed central
journals
 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
published by CDC (http://cdc.gov/mmwr/)
 Other journals New England Journal of
Medicine, Tropical Paediatrics, International
Journal of Epidemiology
 e-books

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Free Online Journals
 African Journals on line
 Bioline International
 Biomed central journals

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THE FUTURE
 Impossible to predict
 Legal and ethical problems
 Most surgeries will be computer aided
 Some will be completely robotically
performed
 Human professional guidance and
supervision probably never to be
dispensed
 The future medics will be different from
today’s medics. And less committed.

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Conclusions
In view of all these, One thing is
certain and perhaps undisputable, that
Computers today are superhuman in
their ability to handle numbers, but still
infantile in their ability to handle ideas
and concepts.

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THANKS FOR THE
AUDIENCE.

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Bibliography.
 Use of computers in medicine By, DR. EME
T. OWOAJE. Commed. Dept. WACP Part
1Revision Course.
 Computer Literacy among Bayero University
Students. Project 2008. DR. SUAD
 Google (http://www.google.com)
 Infoseek (http://www.infoseek.go.com)
 Excite (http://www. excite.com