Jin U. Kang, Yong Huang, Zuhaib Ibrahim, Jaepyeong Cha, W.P. Andrew Lee, Gerald Brandacher, and Peter L. Gehlbach

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Wilmer Eye Institute, JohnsHopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD21218, USA

Abstract:

In this talk, we describe the development of an ultrafast 3-dimensional (3D) optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging system that provides real-time intraoperative video images of the surgical site to assist surgeons during microsurgical procedures.  The system is based on afull-range non-uniform Fourier-Domain OCT (FD-OCT). Thesystem was built in a CPU-GPU heterogeneous computing architecture capable of video OCT image processing. The system displays at a maximum speed of 10 volume/second for an image volume size of 160×80×1024 (X×Y×Z) pixels.  We have used this system to visualize and guide two prototypical microsurgical maneuvers; microvascular anastomosis of the rat femoral artery andultramiscrovascular isolation of theretinal arterioles of the bovine retina. Our preliminary experiments using 3D-OCT- guided microvascular anastomosis showed optimal visualization of the rat femoral artery (diameter < 0.8 mm), instruments, and suture material. Real-time intraoperative guidance helped facilitate precise suture placement due to optimized views of the vessel wall during anastomosis. Using the bovine retina as a model system we have performed “ultra microvascular” feasibility studies by guiding handheld surgical micro-instruments to isolate retinal arterioles (Diameter ~ 0.1 mm). Isolation of the microvessels was confirmed by successfully passing a suture beneath the vessel in the 3-D imaging environment.