1 2 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7
Move over 4K — it
looks like 8K ultra-
high definition surgi-
cal video is heading
our way. 8K video
has a whopping 7680
× 4320-pixel matrix,
twice that of 4K's
3840 x 2160-pixel
matrix and 4 times that of 2K high-definition's 1920 × 1080. For
perspective, 8K UHD has a 16-fold higher resolution than the cur-
rent 2K high-def.
How's it work in the OR? Using a custom-built 8K UHD endo-
scope, researchers say they successfully performed 2 cholecys-
tectomies using an 8K camera, a 30-degrees angled rigid endo-
scope with a lens adapter, a pair of 300-W xenon light sources, an
85-inch 8K LCD monitor and an 8K video recorder. Their 2016
study (osmag.net/Q4FnBx) found that 8K could be promising for
complex, minimally invasive procedures.
The researchers say that 8K endoscopic imaging "promises to
open up new possibilities for intricate procedures, including anas-
tomoses of thin nerves and blood vessels as well as more confi-
dent surgical resections of a diversity of cancer tissues."
The surgeons and other surgical staff reported the following
positive evaluations of the 8K UHD endoscope:
• With sufficient illumination, they could view laparoscopic images
with quite high resolution.
8K UHD
Is 8K Endoscopic Imaging on the Way?
