Background
Laparoscopic surgery, also known as the “minimally invasive” surgery, is a surgical diagnostic procedure used to examine the organs in the abdomen. This technique was originally used for gynecologic and gallbladder surgery and expanded into intestinal surgery over the past decade. Compared to the traditional surgery which creates one single incision to enter into the abdomen, Laparoscopic surgery creates several 0.5-1 cm incisions called “ports”. At the beginning of the procedure, the abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide gas to provide a working and viewing space for the surgeon. At each port a tubular instrument known as a trocar is inserted. Specialized camera known as a laparoscope passes through the trocars during the procedure to examine within the abdomen. The laparoscope then transmits images into the high-resolution video monitors in the operating room, which then project the images on the monitor for surgeons to refer. This system allows the surgeon to perform the same operations as traditional surgery but with smaller incisions, and hence the patients are suffered from less pain, shorter recovery and less scarring 1.
One common complication of this surgery is the limited field of view of the laparoscope. The lack of situational awareness bothers surgeons and increases the risk of unwanted injury to organs inside the abdomen. This situation is a potential area for improvement in the laparoscopic and endoscopic field. With a rate of 4.8 million/year laparoscopic procedures in the US alone, and a 5% rate for related abdominal cavity complications, there is room for improvement. The video and visualization in this procedure alone is expected to be the fastest growing segment with a compound annual growth rate of 5.7% during the 2018-2025 forecast period. The high growth rate is due to the rising demand for improving diagnostic accuracy and the need for enhanced resolution and viewing.
There is currently little research and solution targeted to this problem as the development of laparoscopic surgery is hindered by the slow advancement of the instrument. However, there have been 15 million laparoscopic surgeries performed worldwide and 5 million of them performed in the USA. The high procedural cost, high learning curve, and an increasing number of standards and regulatory oversight are likely to restrain the growth of the market. Hence, it is imperative to design an integrated laparoscope that incorporates the trocar as a possible optical instrument carrier and process the images into a panoramic view. Dr. Hammill, who is an experienced surgeon in the field of laparoscopic surgery and an expert in imaging process, is deemed as the particularly qualified client for this project.
One common complication of this surgery is the limited field of view of the laparoscope. The lack of situational awareness bothers surgeons and increases the risk of unwanted injury to organs inside the abdomen. This situation is a potential area for improvement in the laparoscopic and endoscopic field. With a rate of 4.8 million/year laparoscopic procedures in the US alone, and a 5% rate for related abdominal cavity complications, there is room for improvement. The video and visualization in this procedure alone is expected to be the fastest growing segment with a compound annual growth rate of 5.7% during the 2018-2025 forecast period. The high growth rate is due to the rising demand for improving diagnostic accuracy and the need for enhanced resolution and viewing.
There is currently little research and solution targeted to this problem as the development of laparoscopic surgery is hindered by the slow advancement of the instrument. However, there have been 15 million laparoscopic surgeries performed worldwide and 5 million of them performed in the USA. The high procedural cost, high learning curve, and an increasing number of standards and regulatory oversight are likely to restrain the growth of the market. Hence, it is imperative to design an integrated laparoscope that incorporates the trocar as a possible optical instrument carrier and process the images into a panoramic view. Dr. Hammill, who is an experienced surgeon in the field of laparoscopic surgery and an expert in imaging process, is deemed as the particularly qualified client for this project.
Project scope
Currently available laparoscopic cameras have a narrow field of view (FOV) during surgery, typically 60 degrees. This results in compromised situational awareness, which can cause laparoscopic surgeons to accidentally harm a patient's abdominal cavity during laparoscopic and robotic surgery. For these reasons, there is a need for an addition to current laparoscopic telescopes. To improve the success of current laparoscopic surgeries, an efficient imaging device that is incorporated into the trocars is needed to create more environmental awareness for surgeons.
Our client, an experienced surgeon with laparoscopic procedures, requires the device to be affordable, durable for daily use, and user-friendly so that surgeons can quickly and easily comprehend the displayed images during intense surgery. The device is also required to be compatible with current laparoscopic devices in size and software platform.
By the end of April, our group intends to have a working prototype that will include a set of cameras to capture peripheral view around the laparoscopic surgery region. In addition, the prototype will have the necessary program needed to process the captured images into an accessible picture with notations thus helping surgeons identify the situation. In summary, the completed project should include the design schematics, the necessary code for the program, and a functional prototype.
Our client, an experienced surgeon with laparoscopic procedures, requires the device to be affordable, durable for daily use, and user-friendly so that surgeons can quickly and easily comprehend the displayed images during intense surgery. The device is also required to be compatible with current laparoscopic devices in size and software platform.
By the end of April, our group intends to have a working prototype that will include a set of cameras to capture peripheral view around the laparoscopic surgery region. In addition, the prototype will have the necessary program needed to process the captured images into an accessible picture with notations thus helping surgeons identify the situation. In summary, the completed project should include the design schematics, the necessary code for the program, and a functional prototype.