What is 4K3D Exoscopic Surgery?
4K3D exoscopic surgery is a new concept of surgery in which 4K ultra high-definition images captured by a small camera installed outside the body are projected on a large 55-inch monitor, and the doctor performs a surgical procedure while wearing 3D glasses and looking at the monitor. This new concept has become possible because of the development of smaller and more powerful lenses and cameras, and the development of 3D imaging technology.
Because exoscopic surgery is head-up surgery, in which the surgeon performs the surgical operation by raising his or her head while looking at the monitor, the burden on the surgeon’s posture is reduced. The small camera can be freely adjusted in terms of viewing direction and angle, and the surgeon does not need to change his/her head position or posture because he/she is always looking at the monitor, even if the operation field is in the horizontal or looking up direction. At the same time, the patient can lie in a comfortable position for the neck. The reduction of the surgeon’s postural burden and fatigue leads to more delicate and accurate surgery.
Our department was one of the first to introduce 4K3D exoscope, and is actively using them to perform more precise surgeries than those previously performed with microscope or the naked eye (Fig. 1). The 4K3D large screen monitor allows not only surgeons but also all operating room staffs to share surgical information, contributing to improved safety. In addition, special light observation functions such as Narrow Band Imaging (NBI), Infra-Red, and Blue Light allow information that cannot be recognized by the human eye to be obtained from the exoscope, enabling safer and more reliable surgery.
More patient-friendly endoscopic surgery
Our Department performs patient-friendly transoral endoscopic pharyngolaryngeal surgery for pharyngolaryngeal cancer (Fig. 2). Recent advances in endoscopy have made it possible to diagnose and treat pharyngolaryngeal cancer at an earlier stage than before. In particular, the use of NBI enables the early detection of small lesions in the pharynx, which have been difficult to diagnose due to its complex structure, and their removal by endoscopic surgery without skin incision of the neck.
We also perform minimally invasive transcanal endoscopic ear surgery (TEES). Previously, an incision was made behind the ear and temporal bone was removed to perform tympanoplasty behind the tympanic membrane, but TEES has made it possible to perform tympanoplasty through the ear canal without skin incision and bone resection behind the ear. This has led to less postoperative pain and shorter hospital stays.