USC surgeon explores 3-D visualization
The magic of 3-D has helped theater chains lure patrons back to the multiplex, but the technology is proving to be more than a gimmick for surgeons performing minimally invasive operations.
Anthony Senagore, chief of colorectal surgery at the Keck Medical Center of USC, led the first team on the West Coast to implement a novel 3-D visualization tool designed by Viking Systems. The use of a 3-D camera and special glasses brings depth perception to surgeons who would otherwise have to compensate for a flat view of the organs on which they’re operating.
“We’ve been performing advanced laparoscopic procedures for many years, and many of us have learned how to accommodate a two-dimensional picture,” Senagore said, “but this is really the first time we’ve been able to replicate the way we normally see the operative field. It’s enabled us to expedite the procedures and should improve accuracy and safety.”
Senagore, who feels the technology will also help trainees acquire advanced surgical skills more quickly, is eager to discover additional benefits.
“This is our first attempt to explore this technology,” Senagore said. “Our initial experience has been very good.”
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