Using smartphone-delivered stereoscopic vision in microsurgery: a feasibility study

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Robotic Surgery
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Robot-assisted surgery is gaining traction in various surgical fields to enhance patient outcomes.
• Real-time surgical visualization is crucial for surgeons performing robot-assisted procedures.
• Ophthalmic robots offer potential for advanced vitreoretinal treatments, including vessel cannulation and targeted gene delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of using smartphone-based stereoscopic vision for microsurgical applications.
• To assess the potential of readily available technology for enhancing surgical visualization.

Main Methods:

• A stereo-camera captured 3D views from a surgical microscope and streamed them wirelessly to a smartphone via Wi-Fi.
• A Virtual Reality (VR) headset housed the smartphone, allowing the user to perceive a stereoscopic 3D image.
• The system was tested using a simulated cataract extraction.

Main Results:

• A simulated cataract extraction was successfully performed using smartphone-delivered 3D vision.
• A minimal time lag of 0.354s ± 0.038s was recorded.
• This represents the first reported instance of a simulated ophthalmic surgery using smartphone-delivered stereoscopic vision.

Conclusions:

• Smartphone and VR headset technology can provide 3D microscopic views with minimal latency.
• This approach facilitates telepresence, a key component of telerobotics, by decoupling the surgeon from the microscope.
• The technology is suitable for surgical training and remote mentoring, enabling live stereoscopic streaming of microsurgeries globally.