Most people think of high-definition television (HDTV) as a technology that will make their favorite programs appear sharper and more realistic looking, but an emerging medical use for an HDTV camera system could have a revolutionary impact on surgery.
Steven F. Palter, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, used a prototype, miniaturized HDTV system during a pilot study in five endoscopic procedures. He said it was “like looking through a window when looking at the monitor. The image was as good as looking directly in the incision as opposed to through the endoscope in the incision.” He believes the benefits of the new system will be felt in many medical specialties.
HDTV has two to three times the normal number of lines on the screen and two to three times the resolution of video equipment currently used in endoscopic surgeries. Until the development of the prototype system, however, the HDTV camera was not sufficiently small or affordable to be useful in endoscopic procedures. The new system’s developer, the JVC company, expects to bring it to market sometime this year.
Palter believes the value of using HDTV will go well beyond the sharper image. He is currently doing a larger, follow-up study to see whether the system has benefits of increased accuracy, reduced surgeon fatigue and better visualization of disease. He says, “It is not just the next phase in technology. It will become the standard for all kinds of endoscopic surgery.”
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