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Laparoscopic ultrasound: a survey of its current and future use, requirements, and integration with navigation technology

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Abstract

Background

Laparoscopic ultrasound (LUS) increases surgical safety by allowing the surgeon to see beyond the organ surface, by visualizing vascular structures and by improving surgical precision of tumor resection. A questionnaire-based survey was used to investigate the current use and future expectations of LUS technology.

Methods

A questionnaire consisting of 26 questions was distributed manually at four different conferences (60% at the European Association for Endoscopic Surgery (EAES) conference, Stockholm 2008). The answers were summarized with descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests at a significance level of 0.05.

Results

The questionnaire was answered by 177 surgeons from 40 different countries (85% from Europe). Of these surgeons, 43% use ultrasound during laparoscopic procedures. Generally, more LUS users are found at university hospitals than at general community hospitals. Surgeons use LUS primarily in procedures related to the liver (67% of the surgeons who use LUS), but LUS also is used in other procedures related to the pancreas, biliary tract, and colon. In a 5-year perspective, 82% of surgeons believe in an increased use of LUS, and 79% of surgeons also think that the use of LUS combined with navigation technology will increase and that the most important requirements for such a system are good image quality, easy interpretation, and a high degree of precision.

Conclusions

Although the surgeons believe LUS has advantages, only 43% of the respondents reported using it. The surveyed surgeons were largely positive toward an increased use of LUS in a 5-year perspective and believe that LUS combined with navigation technology will contribute to improving the surgical precision of tumor resection.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Research Council of Norway (project no. 176899/140), SINTEF, and the National Centre for Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery. We thank the congresses for letting us distribute the questionnaire and Sebastien Muller for his help with the statistics.

Disclosures

Cecilie Våpenstad, Anna Rethy, Thomas Langø, Tormod Selbekk, Brynjulf Ystgaard, Toril A. Nagelhus Hernes, and Ronald Mårvik have no conflicts of interest or financial ties to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Technology, SINTEF Technology and Society, 7465, Trondheim, Norway

    Cecilie Våpenstad, Thomas Langø, Tormod Selbekk & Toril A. Nagelhus Hernes

  2. Medical Faculty, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway

    Anna Rethy, Toril A. Nagelhus Hernes & Ronald Mårvik

  3. Department of Surgery, St. Olav’s Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway

    Brynjulf Ystgaard & Ronald Mårvik

  4. National Center for Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery, St. Olav’s Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway

    Ronald Mårvik

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  1. Cecilie Våpenstad
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Correspondence to Cecilie Våpenstad.

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Våpenstad, C., Rethy, A., Langø, T. et al. Laparoscopic ultrasound: a survey of its current and future use, requirements, and integration with navigation technology. Surg Endosc 24, 2944–2953 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-010-1135-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-010-1135-6

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