3D Models Help Doctors in Leipzig with Kidney Surgeries

Leipzig University Hospital (UKL) expects three-dimensional models and augmented reality (AR) to offer benefits in kidney surgery. With AR, 3D models are created prior to surgery using images from computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). During the procedure, these models can be projected into the surgeon’s field of view via special AR glasses. Tumors, blood vessels, and healthy tissue can be color-coded to distinguish them from one another and displayed in three dimensions.

3D models enable precise and minimally invasive surgery

The three-dimensional visualization enables a more precise and minimally invasive removal of kidney tumors, the University Hospital reported. The innovative technology makes even hidden blood vessels and tumor boundaries visible, it said. The goal is to completely remove tumors while preserving as much healthy kidney tissue as possible. A recent study involving the UKL confirms the benefits of three-dimensional imaging.

Clarity on tumor removal even before the first incision

“The use of 3D models has taken our surgeries to a new level. Even before the procedure, we use the digital data like a three-dimensional blueprint on the screen,” explained Jens-Uwe Stolzenburg, Director of the Department of Urology at Leipzig University Hospital. This allows surgeons to virtually rotate the kidney, show or hide individual structures, and plan the safest route to the tumor—even before the first incision.

Robot Assists in Kidney Surgeries

According to its own statements, the Leipzig Urology Department was among the first in Germany to remove kidney tumors using the robot-assisted Da Vinci surgical system. “In this procedure, the surgeon controls the instruments via a console. A highly magnified three-dimensional view of the surgical site and highly maneuverable instruments enable precise procedures even in hard-to-reach areas,” the department stated. The new 3D modeling now supplements this technique with additional information about the spatial location of the tumor and the surrounding blood vessels.