Computer- and robot-based operation theatre of the future in cranio-facial surgery

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of our research in medical high-tech computing and robot-based surgical intervention in cranio facial surgery defining an operation theatre of the future. Our overall goal is to provide improved operation methods and workflows—high-quality, safer and more economical due to shorter operation time and less postoperative treatment. Our operation theatre of the future includes workflow definition as well as high-tech hardware and software systems for pre- and intraoperative steps and the operation room itself. The system's workflow consists of dedicated tasks for image acquisition up to intraoperative application, which jointly integrates to a workflow attending conventional surgical proceeding. Thus, managing highly complex systems like surgical robots or operation planning tools is easy as we follow the surgeon's well-known pre- and intraoperative processes. Modules within the workflow can be categorized by image acquisition, data modeling, operation planning and simulation, and supervision of surgery or intraoperative execution, respectively. The intraoperative setting of the operation theatre of the future involves, e.g. visualization techniques for Virtual and Augmented Reality, heart–lung machine control and the application of surgical robotics. The workflow settings with first-system modules of our operation theatre of the future already showed its potential during the initial clinical evaluation and have been presented at the largest German exhibition for medical systems called MEDICA in 2000.