Tremendous acceleration and changes in scientific discovery and progress are presently occurring. These important emerging technologies that will affect the practicing surgeon within the next 10 to 20 years are illustrated in detail in this volume. Its purpose is not to review clinical experience of the common surgical practice of the past decade, but to outline and illustrate the future trends. International experts in this field demonstrate emerging procedures and significant advances.

Overview of Emerging Technologies

Economics of New Surgical Technologies
The Scientific, Social, and Ethical Implications of Disruptive Technologies
Education and Training
The World Virtual University and the Internet: Virtual Reality: Objective Assessment, Education, and Training
Organizing Surgical Simulation Centers in Response to Disruptive Technologies
Ideal VR systems: Is There a "Holy Grail" in Simulation System Land?
The Medical Informatics Challenge in Surgery
Robotics and Novel Surgical Approaches
Robotics in General Surgery: Today and Tomorrow
Evolving Endoluminal Therapies
Innovations in Surgical Instruments
Microtechnology in Surgical Devices
Innovative Instruments in Endoscopic Surgery
New Hemostatic Dissecting Forceps with a Metal Membrane Heating Element
Radiofrequency and Hepatic Tumors
Technological Innovations in Kidney and Liver Living-Donor-Related Transplantation
Bioengineering
Tissue Engineering
Beyond the Future
Adapting to Future Technologies.