Royal Surrey transmits the first live 3D surgery

The Royal Surrey County Hospital has made history by transmitting the first live 3D surgery. 

The 3D Laparoscopic Surgery Symposium held on 17^th December was organised by Royal Surrey consultant Iain Jourdan, in conjunction with the Mimual Access Therapy Training Unit, MATTU, at Surrey University.

Four key hole surgery’s (hernica, colon, gallbladder and uterine) where performed by Royal Surrey Surgeons wearing polarised glasses, similar to those worn to watch 3D films in the cinema. The Surgeons talked through the surgery with an audience of surgeons and manufacturers from around the world. The audience wore 3D glasses to share the same visual experience and watched live 3D images from MATTU.

The very first 3D operation using this technology was performed by Iain Jordan, on 10^th June. Mr Jordan usefully removed the first gall bladder with the assistance of by 3D imagery using prototype equipment developed by Solid-Look.

This technology looks set to revolutionise keyhole surgery across the world. The new system, surveys the abdominal cavity using a camera that sends back two live video feeds from different angles. The two signals are polarised in opposite direction and the resulting image is then displayed as alternating rows of pixels on a high definition television screen. The surgeons wearing polarised glasses are given an impression of depth, as well as height and width. This allows for more accurate cutting and stitching.

 A three year research programme, which started last year, has already highlighted some of the impressive benefits. Using this new technology, novice surgeons are able to learn and perform complex surgical tasks in a fraction of the time and with fewer mistakes than with conventional video images.

Organiser, Mr Iain Jourdan said 'The image quality that these new systems are able to produce is unparalleled and anyone seeing them cannot help but appreciate the impact that this is going to have on keyhole surgery in the future'.

To view the media coverage by ITV, click  here