Toward the Future of Surgery: An Immersive, Virtual-Reality-Based Endoscopic Prototype

Today, an ever-increasing number of diseases requiring a surgical solution are treated by means of minimally invasive procedures [1]. When possible, these procedures are suggested instead of traditional approaches because they decrease both the surgical risk and postsurgery hospitalization. The growing technological advances in terms of imaging techniques (i.e., visualization of organs and tissues) and handling of the minimally invasive instruments (e.g., endoscopes) play a key role in improving the qualitative aspects of the interventions [2].