Computer Generated Visual Assistance to a Surgical Operation : the Retroperitoneoscopy

We present here experiments on a system of computer assisted surgery. A 3D position measuring device is used to obtain the position of the usual surgical tool partly inserted in the patient’s body. These 6D position coordinates are used to compute and display gray-level CT-iike slices in plane cots depending on the position of the tool. A simplified representation of the tool is superimposed to these images. This process is repeated to obtain a real time visualisation during the operation. This system allows the surgeon to know precisely the position of his tool in the patient’s body. We explain our goals, the nature of the surgic~ operation, the system architecture and operations. We give the results of an experiment carded out on a cadaver.