A comparison of laparoscopic procedures performed by novice medical students using 8K ultra-high-definition/two-dimensional and 2K high-definition/three-dimensional monitors

Abstract

Purpose 8K Ultra-high-definition (UHD) imaging has been developed in accordance with the progression of imaging technologies. We evaluated laparoscopic procedures performed by novice medical students using 2K/two-dimensional (2D), 2K/three-dimensional (3D) and 8K/2D monitors, with a particular focus on depth perception. Methods Nine medical students were enrolled. They performed two tasks using 2K/2D, 2K/3D and 8K/2D monitors. In Task 1, they were asked to grasp three metal rods with forceps using each hand. In Task 2, they were asked to grasp a metal rod with forceps held in the right hand, pass the metal rod through a metal ring and transfer it to their left hand. Results In Task 1, when performed with the dominant hand, the procedures performed using 2K/3D took a significantly shorter time than those performed using 8K/2D (P = 0.04). However, there was no significant difference among the three groups in the time required for procedures performed by the non-dominant hand. In Task 2, the procedure time with 2K/2D was significantly longer than that with 2K/3D or 8K/2D (P = 0.02). Conclusion 2K/3D showed superior utility to 8K/2D for performing forceps procedures using the dominant hand. However, when the movement of both hands was coordinated (“bi-hand coordination”), the laparoscopic procedures were performed almost as deftly with 8K/2D and 2K/3D.

A multicenter survey of effects and challenges of an 8K ultra‐high‐definition endoscopy system compared to existing endoscopy systems for endoscopic surgery

“…The reason for this trend might be that the percentage of existing endoscopy systems using 3D endoscopy was relatively high in this survey. There are several reports that 3D endoscopy images were considered to be equivalent to 4K/2D images, but they showed superiority over 2K/2D endoscopy in terms of depth perception and stereoscopic effect for endoscopic procedures 4,5,9,15 . Relatively many of the surgeons and observers were familiar with 3D endoscopy in this study, and the evaluation of the sense of depth/stereoscopic effect was rated less often as “definitively superior or relatively superior” than other items such as sense of presence, reality, and visibility of tissue, but there were few “inferior” evaluations, indicating that 8K/2D images could be comparable to 3D images in terms of the sense of depth/stereoscopic effect.…”

“…In the study by Shonaka et al comparing 8K/2D images with 2K/3D images in laparoscopic procedures using a training box to focus attention on the sense of depth/stereoscopic effect, 2K/3D was superior to 8K/2D in operations using only the dominant hand, whereas 8K/2D exceeded 2K/2D and was equivalent to 2K/3D in cooperative operations using both hands. 9 Nevertheless, there are challenges that 8K UHD endoscopy must overcome. Although scope technology has been developed to reduce the size and weight of the 8K endoscope to 370 g 8,13 and interns were less likely to feel physical fatigue even with the greater weight, it is still twice as heavy as a conventional 2K endoscope, and the extra weight and difficulty of scope operation can increase the burden on the camera assistant during long operations compared to the conventional system.…”

“…Relatively many of the surgeons and observers were familiar with 3D endoscopy in this study, and the evaluation of the sense of depth/stereoscopic effect was rated less often as “definitively superior or relatively superior” than other items such as sense of presence, reality, and visibility of tissue, but there were few “inferior” evaluations, indicating that 8K/2D images could be comparable to 3D images in terms of the sense of depth/stereoscopic effect. In the study by Shonaka et al comparing 8K/2D images with 2K/3D images in laparoscopic procedures using a training box to focus attention on the sense of depth/stereoscopic effect, 2K/3D was superior to 8K/2D in operations using only the dominant hand, whereas 8K/2D exceeded 2K/2D and was equivalent to 2K/3D in cooperative operations using both hands 9 …”

“…[1][2][3][4][5] 8K UHD images, which have four times as many pixels as 4K UHD due to innovations in video technology, will enable even clearer recognition of anatomical structures and are expected to contribute to the further development of surgical techniques and advanced applications in various fields of endoscopic surgery or microsurgery. [6][7][8][9][10] Laparoscopic cholecystectomy using 8K UHD was performed for the first time in 2014. 11 At that time, a 2.2-kg 8K camera head was used, but an 8K endoscopy system was later developed with camera head that was significantly smaller, lighter, and had improved sensitivity, and pharmaceutical approval was obtained as a medical device in 2017.…”

“…Detailed image information obtained from endoscopy is especially important in endoscopic surgery, and three‐dimensional (3D) full‐high‐definition (FHD) and 4K ultra‐high‐definition (UHD) systems are now becoming widespread, enabling more accurate procedures 1–5 . 8K UHD images, which have four times as many pixels as 4K UHD due to innovations in video technology, will enable even clearer recognition of anatomical structures and are expected to contribute to the further development of surgical techniques and advanced applications in various fields of endoscopic surgery or microsurgery 6–10 …”