Stereotactic navigation for TAMIS-TME

Abstract

Stereotactic navigation allows for real-time, image-guided surgery, thus providing an augmented working environment for the operator. This technique can be applied to complex minimally invasive surgery for fixed anatomic targets. Transanal minimally invasive surgery represents a new approach to rectal cancer surgery that is technically demanding and introduces the potential for procedure-specific morbidity. Feasibility of stereotactic navigation for TAMIS-TME has been demonstrated, and this could theoretically translate into improved resection quality by improving the surgeon’s spatial awareness. The future of minimally invasive surgery as it relates to augmented reality and image-guided surgery is discussed.

Keywords:

• taTME
• TAMIS
• rectal cancer
• augmented reality
• navigation
• image-guided surgery

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.