[The clinical advantage of using three dimensional visualization technology in hepatic surgery].

The three-dimensional body visible system is a further development of the three-dimensional CT reconstruction system. It has a lot of merits over the latter system. Clinical application of the three-dimensional body visible system in liver surgery showed the system to have the following merits: (1) The system can support the Couinaud classification of liver anatomy into two hemilivers, four sectors and eight segments. As the system can rotate the liver to any angle and it has the ability to make part or whole of the liver transparent thus making the internal blood vessels and bile ducts visible. Learning liver anatomy and liver surgery becomes easier. (2)The system can clearly localize liver tumors within the liver segment(s). (3)It can help clinicians to decide and to plan different operations on an individual. (4)By carrying out simulation partial hepatectomy using this system, it can help clinicians to estimate the difficulty and the risks involved in different options of liver resection and finally.(5)The system helps clinicians to identify anomalies in hepatic artery, portal vein, hepatic vein and bile duct, thus making the operation safer. In conclusion, this system significantly improves on the conventional three-dimensional CT reconstruction system. It is especially useful for inexperienced liver surgeons.