Augmented Reality in Laparoscopic Surgery

A trend in abdominal surgery is the transition from open procedures to minimally invasive laparoscopic interventions, where visual feedback is only available through the laparoscope camera and direct palpation of organs is impossible. To successfully perform such sophisticated interventions, the provision of additional intraoperative feedback can be of great help to the surgical staff, especially in complex cases.§This work introduces new concepts for the application of augmented reality techniques to laparoscopic surgery. Multiple intraoperative imaging devices are used for the acquisition of up-to-date patient data. Optical and magnetic tracking systems are applied to determine the position and orientation of mobile C-arm, laparoscope, and laparoscopic ultrasound. The acquired patient data is directly superimposed on the images of the laparoscope camera in real time without intraoperative registration. This intuitive superimposition can visually assist and direct surgeons, as hidden anatomy such as vessels or tumors inside an organ are revealed.§This book is intended for students, researchers, and professionals in medical informatics, particularly in computer aided surgery.