A Pilot Study for a Better Visibility in the 3D Laparoscopic Right Colectomy Surgery

Area of Science:

• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Surgical Technology
• Gastrointestinal Oncology

Background:

• 3D laparoscopic surgery offers enhanced visualization but can be hampered by lens fogging.
• Maintaining clear intraoperative vision is crucial for surgical precision and patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a digital defogging technique in 3D laparoscopic surgery for right colon cancer.
• To compare operative outcomes between patients using digital defogging and a control group.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 50 patients with right colon cancer undergoing 3D laparoscopic surgery.
• Patients were randomized into a digital defogging group and a control group.
• Key metrics assessed included intraoperative image clarity, surgeon anxiety, operative time, and defogging time.

Main Results:

• The digital defogging group exhibited significantly higher video screen clarity compared to the control group.
• Surgeon anxiety levels were significantly lower in the digital defogging group.
• Mean operative time was reduced from 168.7 ± 32.7 min in the control group to 136.4 ± 30.4 min in the digital defogging group (P < 0.05).
• Mean defogging time decreased from 16.3 ± 4.6 min to 4.8 ± 1.3 min (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Digital defogging technology is a feasible and beneficial adjunct in 3D laparoscopic right colon cancer surgery.
• The technique significantly improves visual clarity, reduces surgeon anxiety, and decreases both operative and defogging durations.
• This innovation holds potential for optimizing surgical workflow and outcomes in laparoscopic procedures.