Improved preoperative planning in robotic heart surgery

Optimal port placement and intraoperative navigation in robotically assisted heart surgery improve the efficiency of a telemanipulator system. A new interface for preoperative interactive port placement on a 3D-plot of the patient's thorax was established. A multislice CT scan of the thorax with applied landmarks is performed. The CT segmentation and reconstruction is achieved by the visualization tool amira/spl trade/ extended by a new module enabling the preoperative planning. Offline the instruments and the camera are placed virtually visualizing the optimal position. Simultaneously the system passes through the collision detection mode. An accurate spatial registration of the anatomy is realized. The telemanipulated endoscopic camera and instruments are placed precisely as intended. Collision detection methods ensure an intersection-free planning and proper placement of the telemanipulator arms to access accurately the desired region of interest.