Intraoperative ultrasonography

Four major benefits of intraoperative ultrasonography (IOU) were determined after its use in more than 2400 operations. They are the acquisition of new information not otherwise available, complement of or replacement for operative radiography, guidance of surgical procedure, and confirmation of completion of operation. IOU also has the advantages of safety, speed, higher accuracy, acquisition of more information, and wider application over operative radiography. Intraoperative color Doppler imaging, which has been introduced recently, seems to provide additional beneficial information during cardiovascular and general surgery. We believe that IOU should have a wider application and that surgeons and radiologists should develop cooperative working relations similar to those that exist for operative radiography.