Abstract
In surgery, a new method called minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has been established in the last few years. Compared with traditional endoscopes, the use of videoendoscopes with enlarged representation of the scene on the monitor has improved the situation considerably. However, the loss of the impression of space restricts the use of this technique to just few and simple incisions. The development of a stereo videoendoscope system has made real three-dimensional (3D) vision inside the human body possible. This paper shows that the availability of perception of depth leads to a new quality of MIS: it will become safer and open up new fields of operation. Based on human visual perception, general rules for developing technical solutions are discussed. The 3D video system was originally developed for remote handling in inaccessible areas of nuclear facilities. Faced with similar requirements, this technology could easily be transferred to MIS applications. The resulting system impressively demonstrated the advantages of 3D vision during the first clinical applications (human gall bladder) in the summer of 1992.
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