Real-time 3D deformation imaging of abdominal organs in laparoscopy

In laparoscopic surgery, surgeons encounter particular difficulties during the course of the operation. Due to the restricted view from the endoscope and the limited degree of freedom using forceps, surgeons find their movements impeded. It would be necessary to develop a support system to provide surgeons with improved laparoscopic vision. If real-time visualization of the abdominal anatomy is possible, it will be useful for accurate procedure and quantitative evaluation. In this paper, The laser-scan endoscope system acquires and visualizes the shape and texture of the area of interest in a flash of time. Results of in-vivo experiments on the liver of a pig verify the effectiveness of the proposed system.