Patient-Side Robotic Surgical Platform provides high-definition 3D vision

TransEnterix engineers have developed a robotic single-site surgical platform that is mobile, provides high-definition 3D vision, and allows the surgeon to remain at the patient’s side.

Called SurgiBot, the company’s newest system is undergoing testing now, according to Todd M. Pope, president and CEO of TransEnterix.

“TransEnterix has ‘powered up’ laparoscopy to make it easier for surgeons to complete procedures in the most minimally invasive way possible,” Pope says. “SurgiBot utilizes robotic technologies and techniques to enhance strength, precision and ergonomic comfort for surgeons.”

How to capture surgical procedures in 3D here:

SurgiBot is small and mobile, making it easy for hospitals to move it among operating suites. Its design allows the surgeon to stand at the operating table and remain in direct contact with the patient at all times – versus other robotic systems that require the surgeon to work separated from the patient.

Here’s how SurgiBot works: The surgeon makes a small, single incision in the patient’s abdomen – often hidden inside the belly button – and inserts the device. It opens up like an umbrella, extending articulating instrument channels, which surgeon’s hands control for strength and precision. Once expanded, SurgiBot delivers high-definition, three-dimensional visualization at the operating site, restoring depth perception lost in traditional laparoscopic procedures.

complete article here.

Brain surgeons get a practice run with simulator from Elyria-based Surgery Theater

For a number of years, pilots have used virtual reality simulators to practice critical missions before taking to the skies. Thanks to a revolutionary new virtual reality training tool developed by Elyria’s Surgical Theater, LLC, surgeons now have a way to practice brain surgery before setting foot in the operating room.

Surgical theater 3D

The Surgery Rehearsal Platform (SRP) simulator consists of a desk top computer, a portable laptop system, software, controllers and 3D glasses.

more about 3D technology here:

“Using standard CT and MRI images from any patient, the SRP generates accurate models in 3D that show the interaction between life-like tissue and surgical instruments,” explains Moty Avisar, Surgical Theater president and CEO. “The tissue responds realistically to actions taken by the surgeon, enabling pre-surgery planning and rehearsal with complete accuracy.”

Beyond practicing on standard CT and MRI images, surgeons can also use unique images taken of the patient who will be undergoing surgery.

Complete article here:

Cutting Edge: 3D Tech Boosts Surgical Precision

Moviegoers aren't the only ones wearing 3D glasses nowadays — doctors could benefit from them, too, a new study suggests.

In the past, doctors have been skeptical of using 3D technology in their work, preferring to rely on their own experience. But that may change, thanks to improved 3D glasses and even glasses-free systems. Funded by industry sponsors, the study of 50 surgeons using the new technology showed improvements in surgical precision and speed.

3D Laparascopy

"While the technology still requires some fine-tuning, technology without the need to wear special glasses will increase the popularity of 3D systems in operating rooms," study leader Ulrich Leiner of the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI) in Berlin said in a statement.

3DLivesurgery offers products and services to record surgeries in 3D

Improvements to screens are driving developments in 3D technology. High-definition screens are already available. The next step is ultra-high definition, with a sixteenfold improvement in resolution, according to study co-author Michael Witte of HHI.

To evaluate whether new 3D technology was ready for hospital applications, researchers invited surgeons from the Klinikum rechts der Isar's surgical hospital to test it out. A leading endoscope manufacturer and an international display company funded the study.

The surgeons tested four different systems: 2D, 3D with glasses, 3D without glasses and a mirror-based 3D system. The glasses-free model relied on an eye-tracking camera system that delivered separate images to each eye, creating a 3D effect in the brain.

Full Article here:

Surgeons may soon ‘see around corners’ through real-time 3D images

A first-of-its-kind endoscope that allows surgeons to see around obstructions and generate real-time 3D images while performing surgery, may soon be a reality thanks to a recent license agreement made between The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and EndoPodium, a minimally invasive surgical technology company based in San Diego, California.

“SickKids has always been at the forefront of developing cutting-edge medical technology,” says Dr. James Wright, Chief of Perioperative Services and Surgeon-in-Chief at SickKids, “This agreement is the first step towards making many surgeries faster and easier and ultimately improving patient outcomes.”

Under the agreement SickKids and EndoPodium will collaborate to create a prototype of an endoscope that will function similar to an umbrella. During minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery, the closed device can be inserted into a small incision and its three arms - each equipped with a camera and a light source - opened once inside the body. The three camera view means a larger viewing field and the ability to reconstruct a 3D scene of the target area.

SickKids’ Centre for Image-Guided Innovation & Therapeutic Intervention (CIGITI) group developed the idea for the endoscope after collaborating with surgeons, engineers and software developers.

more about 3D video technology here

complete article here

A High-Resolution Endoscope as thin as a Human hair

Engineers at Stanford have developed a prototype single-fiber endoscope that improves the resolution of these much-sought-after instruments fourfold over existing designs. The advance could lead to an era of needle-thin, minimally invasive endoscopes able to view features out of reach of today’s instruments.

Engineers at Stanford have demonstrated a high-resolution endoscope that is as thin as a human hair with a resolution four times better than previous devices of similar design. The so-called micro-endoscope is a significant step forward in high-resolution, minimally invasive bio-imaging with potential applications in research and clinical practice. Micro-endoscopy could enable new methods in diverse fields ranging from study of the brain to early cancer detection.The new endoscope was developed by a team under the direction of Joseph Kahn, professor of electrical engineering at the Stanford School of Engineering. The results were published recently in the journal Optics Express and showcased in the Optical Society of America’s Spotlight on Optics.

Their prototype can resolve objects about 2.5 microns in size, and a resolution of 0.3 microns is easily within reach. A micron is one thousandth of a millimeter. By comparison, today’s high-resolution endoscopes can resolve objects only to about 10 microns. The naked eye can see objects down to about 125 microns.


Complete article here: Stanford Engineering Website

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3D Stereoscopic Endoscopy for heart Surgery

WAUWATOSA, Wis., Feb. 21, 2012 - 3D Surgical Solutions, LLC and Wheaton Franciscan-The Wisconsin Heart Hospital Campus announced that the first case ever using the Leonardo 3D Vision™ System was successfully conducted in a surgical robotic procedure. This revolutionary system provides stereoscopic 3D visualization to personnel at the bedside -- as well as the entire surgical robotic team -- during the surgery. The Leonardo 3D Vision™ System was used in conjunction with the daVinci® Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical®).

"Today's case demonstrates a culmination of years of research and development that bring a new level of 3D visualization to the operating room," said Dr. Husam Balkhy, Chairman, Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Director, Center for Robotic and Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery at The Wisconsin Heart Hospital.

Dr. Balkhy and his medical team utilized the Leonardo 3D Vision™ System while performing a beating heart Totally Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass (TECAB). This event marks a major milestone in the expansion of stereoscopic 3D visualization within the robotic and video-assisted surgical fields and is a breakthrough in the availability of high-quality surgical imaging. This technology can be used with other cases using the daVinci® Surgical System, including urology and gynecology procedures.

"For me, having such wonderfully crisp 3D images to work with is exciting and extremely helpful," added Dorothy Krienbring, Dr. Balkhy's first assistant. "It allows me to introduce instruments and supplies into the chest with safety and with much more accuracy. Using this system allows all of us to see the anatomy in spectacular detail. The Leonardo system is a major step forward in the field of endoscopic surgery."
In addition, the Atlanticus 3D Recorder™ (a component of the Leonardo 3D Vision™ System) was used during the case to digitally record stereoscopic 3D-HD video for presentation at symposia, other clinically-oriented events, and teaching purposes.

"The versatility of this system is impressive, and the opportunity for optimized teaching that it represents is sure to provide enhanced safety as well as substantial cost and time savings to the operative and surgical training arena," Balkhy said.

About 3D Surgical Solutions
3D Surgical Solutions, LLC, based in metro Atlanta, GA, is dedicated to providing stereoscopic 3D solutions to the surgical and medical community. The company develops and markets advanced stereoscopic 3D systems providing superior imaging, versatility, and a cost-effective transition from 2D to stereoscopic 3D video environments. Currently, the firm is engaged in a private equity offering to provide funding for expansion and growth.

About Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare in Wisconsin
Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare (WFH) is a Catholic, not-for-profit organization with more than 100 health and shelter organizations in Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado, and Illinois.  Started by the Wheaton Franciscan Sisters more than 130 years ago and formally incorporated in 1983, WFH has corporate services offices in Wheaton, Illinois and Glendale, Wisconsin.