Software for Bypass Surgery Lessens Trauma

New motion-compensation software that synchronizes the movement of surgical robots with that of the beating heart will soon offer another way to perform procedures such as coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) without stopping the heart.

The software, developed by George Mylonas and Dr. Rajesh Aggarwalat of Imperial College London (UK), has been designed for use with the da Vinci robotic surgical system, manufactured by Intuitive Surgical (Sunnyvale, CA, USA). The robot uses an endoscope that feeds images from left and right cameras to each of the surgeon's eyes separately, providing a three-dimensional (3D) view of the tissue being operated on. The new software system exploits this by fitting an infrared eye tracker that triangulates where the surgeon is looking.

The software then builds a three-dimensional (3D) model of the heart by tracking the surgeon's eyes, and creates a real-time moving image by recording the changes in the surgeon's focal point as the heart beats. The endoscope is calibrated to move forwards and backwards in time with this image, after which the heart appears stationary to the surgeon viewing it through the two cameras. The surgical instruments are also calibrated to move in synchrony with the beating heart, thus appearing stationary, allowing the surgeon to concentrate on performing the operation. The software has so far been tested only on an artificial silicone heart, using a robotic arm.

"The main advantages of these techniques are that there is less need to use a heart-lung bypass machine, and there is reduced trauma to the patient's breast bone or sternum,” said Belinda Linden, head of medical information at the British Heart Foundation.



Related Links:
Imperial College London
Intuitive Surgical