As technology continues to evolve, 3D visualisation in surgery may give us a glimpse into what the future holds for healthcare, says Dr Shravan Nadkarni, consultant surgical oncologist at BALCO Medical Centre, New Raipur, Chattisgarh. In conversation with Affan Abdul Kadar, he says the possibilities are limitless if this tech can be integrated with artificial intelligence and robotic surgery. Edited excerpts:
How different is 3D visualisation technique compared to standard cancer surgery?
The current standard of care is to use computed tomography scans of the entire body which visualises various organs along with any tumours in discontinuous slices of varying thickness. Although revolutionary during its inception, it is not without imperfections since we are not visualising the body as it exists in nature. 3D visualisation recreates the entire structure of interest as it exists naturally.
This gives the best perspective to the treating surgeon about the size, shape and structure of the tumour along with its relations with surrounding organs, blood vessels and nerves. Complex cancer surgeries involve removal of the tumour along with the part of the diseased organ without causing surgical injuries to surrounding structures.
This improves surgical outcomes and quality of life for the patient. 3D has been utilised extensively in the west (US & Europe) and the east (Korea, Japan) for accurate planning of complex cancer surgeries of the liver, pancreas, lung etc. In India, 3D visualisation has been used inconsistently by other surgical branches.
Is this a game changer in cancer surgery?
The technology is new and still in its infancy, yet powerful! It will continuously evolve and change the way we use imaging for cancers, in my opinion. To give an example, it is the ability to visualise a large building in three dimensions before actually building it. Being able to see the tumour and visualise it exactly as it exists in the body before venturing into the surgery would be a boon for surgeons, especially in complex cancer cases which can ultimately lead to surgery with unmatched accuracy, faster recovery, and sooner return to routine life.