Robust augmented reality guidance with fluorescent markers in laparoscopic surgery

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Surgical Navigation
• Augmented Reality

Background:

• Laparoscopic surgery demands precise instrument navigation and visualization of critical anatomical structures.
• Existing augmented reality (AR) methods for subsurface visualization lack robustness and seamless clinical workflow integration.
• Robust intra-operative registration is crucial for effective AR-guided laparoscopy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of a novel intra-operative registration approach for laparoscopic surgery using fluorescent markers.
• To evaluate a new AR visualization method based on metabolizable fluorescent markers.
• To enhance the robustness of 2D/3D intra-operative registration in laparoscopic procedures.

Main Methods:

• Developed an AR visualization approach utilizing metabolizable fluorescent markers attached to target organs.
• Employed a 2D/3D intra-operative registration algorithm guided by the fluorescent markers.
• Conducted an ex vivo porcine study to assess marker tracking performance under challenging conditions (smoke, blood, tissue).

Main Results:

• Fluorescent markers demonstrated reliable tracking even when occluded by smoke, blood, or tissue.
• The proposed 2D/3D intra-operative registration method proved significantly more robust than current state-of-the-art needle-shaped fiducial markers.
• Achieved superior marker tracking performance compared to traditional fiducial markers in simulated surgical conditions.

Conclusions:

• The fluorescent marker-based AR registration system offers enhanced robustness for laparoscopic surgery.
• The proposed method integrates smoothly into the clinical workflow, indicating high potential for clinical application.
• This technology promises to improve the safety and efficacy of minimally invasive surgical procedures.