A robotic system is presented that uses threedimensional ultrasound to visually servo a surgical instrument. Tracking of both the surgical instrument and a target was done using image based algorithms on the real-time 3D ultrasound data. The tracking techniques are shown to be especially amenable for execution on powerful graphics processor units. By harnessing a graphics card, it was possible ...

Novel tools for existing robotic surgical systems present opportunities for exploring improved techniques in minimally invasive surgery. Specifically, intraoperative ultrasonography is a tool that is being used with increased frequency, yet has limitations with existing laparoscopic systems. The purpose of this study was to develop and to evaluate a new ultrasound system with the da Vinci Surgi...

We present the first experimental framework for segmenting instruments in surgical scenes guided by natural language descriptions. Previous approaches rely exclusively on visual cues, thus ignoring...

A self-assessment scale has been developed and found to be a reliable instrument for detecting states of depression and anxiety in the setting of an hospital medical outpatient clinic. The anxiety and depressive subscales are also valid measures of severity of the emotional disorder. It is suggested that the introduction of the scales into general hospital practice would facilitate the large ta...

Loss of surgical instrumentation in endoscopic procedures poses problems not faced in traditional surgery. We describe the breakage and subsequent recovery of a 2-mm segment of needle from an Autosuture Endostitch device (U.S. Surgical) during a laparoscopic Burch urethropexy.