When patients ask about the duration of surgery, surgeons often refrain from providing specific timelines. However, it is essential to emphasize effective operating room time management. Many surgeries now follow standardized steps and protocols, making it possible to predict surgery durations with greater accuracy.

Typically, when estimating the duration of a surgical procedure, only two factors are considered: the type of surgery and the surgeon. However, this approach does not capture the full picture, especially in major surgeries. In addition to these, several other factors should be taken into account, including the patient's characteristics, unexpected intraoperative findings, anesthesia type, surgical approach, and the availability of staff and equipment.

In today's healthcare environment, AI has proven its value in numerous areas, including the prediction of surgery durations. While many existing predictive models focus on resource management, few address patient safety or outcomes. My focus is to highlight the importance of patient safety when predicting surgical duration—not just for hospital management purposes. Research has shown that the proper execution of surgery is closely tied to its duration. Ultimately, staying loyal to patient care ensures that everything else will fall into place.