Imaging in gynecologic surgery.

The technical development of instruments for endoscopic surgery started in the field of gynecology. In the early 1970s, with the improvement of optics and instruments for laparoscopic surgery, gyne-endoscopic surgery developed and set milestones for all other surgical fields. However, the general surgeons propagated the advantages of 2D or 3D imaging surgery much better than the conservative gynecologists. Surgery on a 2D screen without direct vision is regarded as more advantageous than open surgery and has achieved wide acceptance. Several schools of gynecologic endoscopy in Europe (in Kiel, Giessen, Clermont Ferrand and Strasbourg) have set guidelines for gyne-endoscopic surgery. Our catalog of indications in the areas of gyne-endoscopic surgery, published in 2002, reveals the broad application of these techniques today. 3D vision, robotic instruments and systems, such as the da Vinci(®) Surgical System from Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (CA, USA), round up the picture of endoscopic surgery. The advantages of endoscopic surgery over open surgery (more precision, less trauma, less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stays and a faster recovery period) are becoming more accepted. The present healthcare systems and hospital administrations understand the challenges of imaging in surgery, particularly in endoscopic surgery.