Artificial Intelligence Revolutionizes Upper Extremity Surgery: A Comprehensive Review

Strategic Insights -

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been increasingly integrated into upper extremity (UE) orthopedics, transforming the field of UE surgery. A new systematic review has investigated the current landscape and impact of AI in UE surgery, revealing its potential to enhance patient care, improve decision-making, and expand the role of surgeons. The study found that AI is predominantly utilized in image analysis, measurement tools, and surgical outcome prediction, with a significant impact on the accuracy and efficiency of clinical outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

  • The systematic review included 118 articles, with publication years ranging from 2009 to 2024, with a median and mode of 2022 and 2023, respectively.
  • AI is predominantly used in six main applications: automated image analysis (36%), surgical outcome prediction (20%), measurement tools (14%), prosthetic limb applications (14%), intraoperative aid (10%), and clinical decision support tools (6%).
  • AI-powered tools enhance patient assessment and treatment planning by measuring range of motion, critical shoulder angles, grip strength, and hand posture.
  • Surgeons are increasingly leveraging AI for predictive analytics to estimate surgical outcomes, such as infection risk, postoperative function, and procedural costs.
  • The study concludes that AI continues to evolve, and its role in UE surgery is expected to expand, improving decision-making, precision, and patient care.
  • Brennon Henderson and colleagues, including Dylan Parry, Paul Gaschen, Diane Ghanem, Evan Hernandez, Anceslo Idicula, Tammam Hanna, and Brendan MacKay, conducted the research at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, United States.

Statistics:

  • 118 articles were included in the systematic review.
  • Publication years ranged from 2009 to 2024, with a median and mode of 2022 and 2023, respectively.
  • 36% of studies used AI in automated image analysis.
  • 20% of studies used AI in surgical outcome prediction.
  • AI-powered tools enhanced patient assessment and treatment planning by measuring range of motion, critical shoulder angles, grip strength, and hand posture.

Sources:

  • Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 2025;8:1621757. "The implementation of artificial intelligence in upper extremity surgery: a systematic review."
  • Medical Devices & Surgical Technology Week. 2025; p 709.
  • NewsRx. New Artificial Intelligence Study Findings Have Been Reported from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (The implementation of artificial intelligence in upper extremity surgery: a systematic review). November 2, 2025.