Is the hype for 3D imaging
warranted?
Mr. Razavi: I've been
reading and hearing
about 3D for the past 2
years, and yet it hasn't
been fully adopted in
the medical world,
partly because it has
never been widely
adopted by consumers. There are inherent problems with the technol-
ogy. Do you need to wear glasses? How comfortable are they?
Surgeons like the concept of 3D. It's excellent to see relative distances
between anatomical landmarks and understand which anatomy is on
top of which. 3D video laparoscopes are available, but the instrumen-
tation isn't yet fully developed. The technology is still a bit gimmicky,
even though surgeons like the idea of what it can do.
Dr. Renton: Now you can wear glasses similar to what you'd use in a
movie theater. Although the eyewear has improved — previous gener-
ations were much larger, heavier headsets that hurt your neck after a
while — 3D is still somewhat cumbersome in the OR if you're not
using the robot, which keeps your head fixed in one position within
the control console. That works great. But without the robot, you
must keep your head perfectly still to ensure the image remains clear.
Surgeons who use the robot tout the benefits afforded by 3D's depth
perception, but it's never been proven to improve clinical outcomes.
Dr. Pryor: The eyewear gives me a headache and I find the whole experi-
ence to be a little disorienting. With the state of the current technology,
J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 6 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 8 5
• SEEING IS BELIEVING HD is so good. Will upgrading to 4K really make a clinical difference?
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
