Stereoscopic micro-surgical videography of phacoemulsification surgery

Session Details

Session Title: Training & Surgical Practice

Session Date/Time: Tuesday 25/09/2018 | 16:00-18:00

Paper Time: 16:18

Venue: Room A2

First Author: : D.Ho UK

Co Author(s): :                        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

The use of binocular microscopy in surgery dates back almost 100 years. Whilst ophthalmic surgeons can utilize it to achieve stereoscopic visualization and therefore depth perception, microsurgical videos have conventionally been two-dimensional. Videos are thus unable to provide the same degree of depth appreciation as the stereo-microscope. Stereoscopic microsurgical recording could prove promising for surgical teaching and technique showcasing. Unfortunately, current stereo-microscopic recording and display devices are cumbersome and costly. This project aims to develop a portable 3D microsurgical recording and display system that captures a stereoscopic view from the binocular microscope.

Setting:

Eye theatre in University Hospital of Wales. Operation was conducted by Mr Roger McPherson, consultant Ophthalmologist. Patient provided written consent for the videography of her cataract extraction operation.

Methods:

Different means of 3D video recording were considered and field-tested, after which a novel high-definition dual-lens camera Ovrvision was procured at a cost of USD $449. The two camera lenses are separated ‘centre to centre’ by a distance of 60mm, which is similar to an adult’s inter-pupillary distance. With patient consent, a routine phacoemulsification surgery was recorded in 3D via the observer’s eyepieces in the hospital eye theatre. Nonetheless, to ensure patient confidentiality, only a draped eye and no patient identifiable information was recorded. Measures were taken to ensure that the surgical field remained sterile despite the hardware.

Results:

A full phacoemulsification operation was successfully recorded in 3D via this novel system. A smartphone is used to display the side-by-side footage which, when viewed through a virtual reality headset, is similar to that of looking through the microscope eyepieces and can be perceived as 3D due to the retinal disparity. As the ambient sound was also recorded by the recording system, the sound of the phacoemusification machine was also captured, providing additional immersive experience and an indication of the amount of vacuum and ultrasound powers exerted by the instrument.

Conclusions:

To the best of the author’s knowledge, there are currently no commercial products that enable videographic output from stereoscopic microscopes to be replayed on smartphones in 3D. Existing systems, where viewers wear dedicated polarized 3D glasses to watch the footages on screen displays, lack portability and can be prohibitively expensive. This project introduces the ability to record and replay microsurgical footages stereoscopically in a portable and affordable manner, thus providing an alternative in the videography in ophthalmic and other micro-surgical disciplines.

Financial Disclosure:

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