Introduction - Microsurgery: Advances, Simulations, and Applications - page 6

a)

b)

Figure 1.5 (a) Intra-surgical image captured using a laparoscope.

(b) Examples of Laparoscopic surgery tools for tissue
manipulation.

In most cases, the target of the surgery is surrounded by healthy
tissue and fat and is located near major vasculature. This condition
and the limited vision present the biggest challenge for the surgeon.
For example, during the kidney ablation surgery, the surgeon is
required to locate and suture renal artery and vein. Removing the
surrounding tissue of those vascular structures is the most time
consuming task during this laparoscopic surgery.

1.1.3 Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery

This kind of surgery is used to provide treatment to cerebral arteries
or tumors, which cannot be treated by endovascular intervention. In
this treatment, the skull is ixed to a metal frame, and the treatment is
made using accurately positioned endoscopes for reducing as much
as possible the damage to healthy tissue. A camera and a therapeutic
instrument (forceps and suck tube) are built inside the brain
endoscope, and its tip is movable. The position of surgery target is
accurately measured by X-ray CT (X-ray Computed Tomography) and
magnetic resonance imaging, and the position for opening the skull
is decided accurately for avoiding damage to any brain function.

1.1.4 Natural Orifice Trans-Luminal Endoscopic Surgery

1.1.4.1 Digestive tract endoscopies

The endoscope used for digestive organs is required to be lexible
to correspond to the twisting of digestive organs. A typical example
of the digestive organ endoscope is the Olympus gastro-camera,