Technological innovation in neurosurgery: a quantitative study
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Object Technological innovation within health care may be defined as the introduction of a new technology that
initiates a change in clinical practice. Neurosurgery is a particularly technology-intensive surgical discipline, and new
technologies have preceded many of the major advances in operative neurosurgical techniques. The aim of the present
study was to quantitatively evaluate technological innovation in neurosurgery using patents and peer-reviewed publications
as metrics of technology development and clinical translation, respectively.
Methods The authors searched a patent database for articles published between 1960 and 2010 using the Boolean
search term “neurosurgeon OR neurosurgical OR neurosurgery.” The top 50 performing patent codes were then grouped
into technology clusters. Patent and publication growth curves were then generated for these technology clusters. A topperforming
technology cluster was then selected as an exemplar for a more detailed analysis of individual patents.
Results In all, 11,672 patents and 208,203 publications related to neurosurgery were identified. The top-performing
technology clusters during these 50 years were image-guidance devices, clinical neurophysiology devices, neuromodulation
devices, operating microscopes, and endoscopes. In relation to image-guidance and neuromodulation devices,
the authors found a highly correlated rapid rise in the numbers of patents and publications, which suggests that these
are areas of technology expansion. An in-depth analysis of neuromodulation-device patents revealed that the majority of
well-performing patents were related to deep brain stimulation.
Conclusions Patent and publication data may be used to quantitatively evaluate technological innovation in neurosurgery.
initiates a change in clinical practice. Neurosurgery is a particularly technology-intensive surgical discipline, and new
technologies have preceded many of the major advances in operative neurosurgical techniques. The aim of the present
study was to quantitatively evaluate technological innovation in neurosurgery using patents and peer-reviewed publications
as metrics of technology development and clinical translation, respectively.
Methods The authors searched a patent database for articles published between 1960 and 2010 using the Boolean
search term “neurosurgeon OR neurosurgical OR neurosurgery.” The top 50 performing patent codes were then grouped
into technology clusters. Patent and publication growth curves were then generated for these technology clusters. A topperforming
technology cluster was then selected as an exemplar for a more detailed analysis of individual patents.
Results In all, 11,672 patents and 208,203 publications related to neurosurgery were identified. The top-performing
technology clusters during these 50 years were image-guidance devices, clinical neurophysiology devices, neuromodulation
devices, operating microscopes, and endoscopes. In relation to image-guidance and neuromodulation devices,
the authors found a highly correlated rapid rise in the numbers of patents and publications, which suggests that these
are areas of technology expansion. An in-depth analysis of neuromodulation-device patents revealed that the majority of
well-performing patents were related to deep brain stimulation.
Conclusions Patent and publication data may be used to quantitatively evaluate technological innovation in neurosurgery.
Date Issued
2015-02-21
Date Acceptance
2014-12-18
Citation
Journal of Neurosurgery, 2015, 123 (1), pp.174-181
ISSN
1933-0693
Publisher
American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Start Page
174
End Page
181
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Neurosurgery
Volume
123
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
©AANS, 2015
Sponsor
National Institute for Health Research
Wellcome Trust
Grant Number
NF-SI-0510-10186
100564/Z/12/Z
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Clinical Neurology
Surgery
Neurosciences & Neurology
neurosurgery
technology
diffusion of innovations
SURGICAL INNOVATION
METAANALYSIS
SURGERY
FUTURE
DBS = deep brain stimulation
MEP = motor evoked potential
SSEP = somatosensory evoked potential
Biotechnology
Diffusion of Innovation
Equipment Design
Humans
Inventions
Neurosurgery
Patents as Topic
Publications
Surgery, Computer-Assisted
1103 Clinical Sciences
1109 Neurosciences
Neurology & Neurosurgery
Publication Status
Published