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who use ENT naviga-
LEARNING CURVE Surgeons must relearn hand
positioning when using infrared navigation systems.
tion believe it reduces
patient risk through the
added confidence they
feel during dissections.
Image guidance gives
the surgeon another
sensory input to confirm what he already
suspects to be true.
Surgeons see anatomical landmarks on the
Brent A. Senior, MD
video monitor and use
CT images to know
exactly where their
instruments sit in real time. All the information merges to provide an
added sense of confidence. They know with certainty that they can
continue to work in — or should stay away from — certain areas.
That assurance results in less mental stress during maneuvers
around delicate organs, which may sound like a small thing, but the
implications are significant in terms of overall surgical outcomes.
Surgeons who feel more comfortable with their techniques are able to
perform more complete and safer operations. The technology won't
necessarily let surgeons operate much faster than they already do, but
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