Welcome to the site that gives you information on Virtual Surgery.
Basic Overview
Surgery is a procedure doctors have to do in order to help the patient heal from the illness they may have. Virtual surgery is a way of performing surgery but only in virtual reality where there are no damages in case of a mistake. This was created so that surgeons can practice dangerous surgeries and can do it without harming anyone. With surgeons using this process, they are able to know what to do and how to do it before so that when it comes to an actual surgery there is a greater chance that is done perfectly. Virtual Surgery is usually done on a computer screen with motion sensors so that the body can react to the tools being used as surgeons practice different ways of surgeries. There are two types of virtual surgeries: the traditional method and laparoscopic method. In traditional or open surgery, the surgeon would make large incisions on the body and perform the surgery using not only their hands but big tools as well. In this type of surgery, the surgeons have a closer sense of the body and its reactions which helps the surgeon see if there are any necessities in changing a procedure or using a different tool. In laparoscopic surgery, small incisions are made and a small camera and light are inserted as well as the tools needed and surgeons perform the surgery using a monitor to view inside the body (please scroll down to Laparoscopic Surgery for more info).
Back in the 1960s, drawings were used by the surgeons as they would draw their procedures on paper and would go with their best possibility of have the surgery done well. Now it is done with the use of computers. |  |
As time continued, technology advanced and the technology got to the point where the surgery was able to be done on the computer. Surgeons prefer to use this technology rather than drawings, medical studies or surgical experience because neither one of those options allows the surgeon to get inside a body and attempt the surgery they are planning to do. Now, young doctors are trained using virtual surgery so that they can have more experience with the tools and the procedures in advance before go to the actual field and perform it. Technology is also growing and the development of virtual surgery will grow as well. Surgeons are going to able to help humans out faster and have better benefits for humans in recovering. There will soon be a way to get into the patient and see what the patient has inside of him so they can be a better chance of getting the surgery done accurate and it would be done without touching the patient.
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This is a sample of what virtual surgery is. As you can see, the man is using the tools that he would use in the actual surgery except the tools are connected to the computer where he is practicing doing the surgery. |
Laparoscopic Surgery
Laparoscopic surgery is surgical technique used in surgeries that is performed on people. In laparoscopic surgery, surgery is perform in either the stomach or pelvic cavities with small incisions which is considered to be more useful because only a few holes are made. In laparoscopic surgery, one hole is made and in that hole, a tiny camera attached on a telescopic rod is inserted and it is viewed by surgeons on a monitor while another hole is made on the body and a fiber optic is inserted to see inside the body. Other holes are made and that is where the smaller tools are inserted to perform the surgery. The surgeons would look at the monitor and see what they need to do and begin the surgery using the laparoscope. Laparoscopic surgeries use electric type equipment but there is no worry in using this equipment because it is safe to use inside a body.
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In laparoscopic surgery(left), fewer and smaller incisions are used with no hands needed to touch the body compared to open surgery(right) where a large incision is made and hands are needed to be used in the surgery. |
Compared to traditional surgery, only a few small incisions are made while traditional surgery uses large incisions. Laparoscopic surgery is less risky to use than traditional surgery because in traditional surgery the surgeons leave a wide hole while performing the surgery and it is possible that something in the body can be infected. Many surgeons are being trained with this method because it is considered to be easier without risking damages to other parts of the body.
