Initial institutional experience using a robotic arm-enabled 4K 3D exoscope in neurosurgical operations

Neurosurg Focus Video. 2024 Jan 1;10(1):V2. doi: 10.3171/2023.10.FOCVID23150. eCollection 2024 Jan.

Abstract

The extracorporeal telescope (exoscope) presents a novel digital camera system as a versatile alternative to traditional optical microscopy for microsurgery and minimally invasive neurosurgical operations. Recent innovations in exoscope technology offer 4K-definition multiscreen outputs, pneumatic robot arms, 3-dimensional depth perception, and greater illumination, focus, and magnification powers for enhanced intraoperative visualization. The authors present their initial institutional experience using a robotic arm-enabled 4K 3D exoscope in a variety of cranial and spinal neurosurgical operations, namely Chiari decompression, microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia, anterior cervical discectomy, and lumbar decompressions. The video can be found here: https://stream.cadmore.media/r10.3171/2023.10.FOCVID23150.

Keywords: 3D high-definition visualization; intraoperative visualization; neuronavigation; robotic exoscope.