The thing about surgery is that it involves cutting. Which hurts. Yeah, there's anesthetic and everything, but when you're conscious again, all that cutting can add to an already a long and painful recovery. What if there were a way for a surgeon to operate on a patient without cutting into a sensitive area? Welcome to the amazing world of magnets!

Inspired by the idea of using magnets to hold jewelry studs in place on a lip without piercing, doctors at the University of Texas are developing a technique that involves putting small surgical instruments inside a patient's body through a small incision, then directing them with magnets. The instruments would be accompanied by a tiny camera, which would relay images to the surgeon. One limitation of these magneto-microsurgical devices is they have to be kept at least an inch apart from each other, lest the external magnets affect more than one of them at a time.

Big plusses, though: less scarring, shorter recovery time and hey — magnets! Already the technique has been used to remove a kidney from a pig through a hole in its navel, and human trials should begin later this year. Can't wait to see it on Grey's Anatomy: "We'll use magnets to operate on his heart." "Why not just cut right into it, like you did to me?" "Meredith, I'm… so… sorry…"
— Peter Pachal

The Daily Mail, via Spluch