Olympus Medical Systems Corp. (President: Akihiro Taguchi) will, starting in late April 2013, progressively commence sales throughout the world of a 3D laparoscopy system capable of presenting three dimensional images of internal organs during surgery, and a 3D laparoscope with world-first deflectable tip.

Laparoscopic surgery is performed using surgical endoscopes (laparoscopes) that are inserted into the body via some of small incisions in the abdomen to allow the surgeon to view inside the abdominal cavity. Because it is less demanding on the patient, the technique has entered widespread use as an alternative to previous open incision procedures. Designed to provide even greater accuracy in laparoscopic surgery, the newly developed products are respectively a 3D laparoscopy system and 3D laparoscope that provide three dimensional images of the tissue being operated on.
Connecting the 3D laparoscope to the system to enable 3D imaging gives greater depth perception of the tissue being operated on, something that was lacking in the flat images provided by previous 2D imaging systems. This supports faster and more accurate laparoscopic surgery.
The new 3D laparoscope is the first in the world to incorporate a deflectable tip. This provides users with view field flexibility as well as operating characteristics that are similar to the 2D products with which they are already familiar.

Launch Overview (Asia-Pacific)

Main Features

1. Provides realistic 3D images of the tissue being operated on
2. World's first 3D laparoscope with deflectable tip
3. Compatible with existing scopes

Background to the Launch

Prompted by benefits that included subjecting patients to less invasive procedures and facilitating faster recovery times, use of laparoscopic surgery grew rapidly from the 1990s onwards. It is utilized in a wide range of clinical applications, including gastrointestinal and other forms of abdominal surgery, urology, and gynecology.
While use of laparoscopy grew, surgeons found there were also times when their work was complicated by the lack of depth perception provided by the laparoscope image of the tissue being operated on. Olympus identified the potential of 3D imaging at an early stage and launched its first 3D laparoscopy system in 1995. However, a lack of brightness and inadequate image quality combined with the very large size of the 3D glasses meant that the device failed to gain widespread acceptance.
Responding to feedback from surgeons, Olympus continued development of the technology with the aim of providing an ability to manipulate the tissue being observed at a level equivalent to what is possible in open surgery. As a result, Olympus has now launched a new 3D laparoscopy system that consolidates the technology it has built up over time, including techniques from the gastrointestinal field such as the deflectable tip, for example.

Configuration of Olympus 3D laparoscopy system

Two charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensors are located at the distal end of the laparoscope to provide the left and right images respectively. These two image signals are processed by a special-purpose video system to generate high-resolution 3D image. This image is then displayed on a 3D monitor and viewed through 3D glasses to provide realistic three-dimensional images.

Details of Main Features

1. Provides realistic 3D images of the tissue being operated on
The 3D images help make surgery faster and more precise by giving a realistic view of the tissue being operated on and providing the viewer with the depth perception that is lacking from conventional 2D image. The greater ease with which the orientation of the needle can be perceived when suturing, for example, should allow the desired location to be sutured with greater speed and accuracy than before.
Meanwhile, the high-resolution CCD image sensors fitted in the tip of the 3D laparoscope allow close observation of fine detail in the form of high-definition 3D image.

2. World's first 3D laparoscope with deflectable tip
Because the tip can bend up to 100 degrees in four directions, simple one-handed operation of the 3D laparoscope can provide not only a front view of the tissue being operated on but also other angles, including even from behind. This flexibility to view from any angle facilitates surgical techniques that make the most of the space available, even during technically difficult procedures.
The new scope is also easy to handle during surgery, being similar in size to existing 2D laparoscopes. Its operation is also similar to the 2D scopes with which users will already be familiar.

3. Compatible with existing scopes
The newly released video system center also supports connection of 2D scopes. This helps save space, making it possible to keep both 2D and 3D laparoscopy systems in the limited space available in hospitals. The new products support a wide variety of applications, including conventional 2D laparoscopy if needed.