with imaging technology that's as primitive as a first-gen iPhone.
Surgeons used to staring at standard high-definition screens will
realize a clear clinical benefit the first time they work off of the crisp,
lifelike images on ultra-high-definition 4K monitors, says Nathan W.
Skelley, MD, an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Missouri
Orthopaedic Institute of the University of Missouri in Columbia. 4K
imaging, which offers 4 times the resolution and a much broader
color range than standard high definition, lets surgeons zoom in on
minute anatomy without losing an ounce of detail. It provides better
views for orthopedic surgeons as they peer through irrigation fluid in
the surgical field and improves the ability of general surgeons to see
anatomy through smoke and gases in the abdominal cavity.
But the conversation about the future of surgical imaging doesn't
end with 4K. In fact, it's just getting started. One U.S. manufacturer
has introduced a heads-up visualization system that combines 4K res-
olution with a 3D view; it also has the ability to delineate between tis-
sue boundaries and highlight blood vessels and lesions. Also, one
Asian manufacturer has introduced an 8K endoscope with 16 times
the resolution of conventional high-def cameras. The technology
promises to let surgeons operate more confidently during intricate
laparoscopic procedures.
Even as the call for higher resolution builds and with 8K resolution
on the horizon, has surgical imaging gotten as good as it needs to be?
"Moving beyond 4K is going to be difficult," says Dr. Skelley. "Going
from 4K to 8K, I don't know if I could lobby for that right now. How
much more resolution do you need? I think we're going to get dimin-
ishing returns from here on out."
The required investment may soon begin to outweigh the potential
benefit. To justify the expense in 4K- or 8K-compatible displays and
cameras, Dr. Skelley thinks surgeons will need to show significant
5 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 8