The Ugly Underbelly of the MIS Movement

The relatively high complication rates associated with early prostheses and techniques eventually led to the improvement of implants and refinement of the surgical procedures. Almost all surgical techniques improve over time by leading to less invasive approaches. The modern era’s communications technologies, coupled with more sophisticated marketing techniques, has dramatically influenced the speed with which new techniques are recognized, popularized, and thus demanded by an easily influenced public. Debate over the appropriate moral underpinnings of marketing medical practice is far from concluded, and the moral issue of when new technologies “should” be adopted is complex and challenging. Although the autonomy of medical practitioners and their ability to accurately assess the “scientific validity” of any given medical procedure have been gradually transferred over time from the bench, bedside, and consulting room to institutional formularies, clinical pathways, and federal authorities, it is likely that an appropriate balance of oversight, such as currently exists with Food and Drug Administration regulation, and the traditional autonomy of the physician are appropriate answers to the dilemma raised.