ABSTRACT
Reduced depth perception and reduced tactile feedback are the main challenges introduced by the minimally invasive surgical approach. The operative field displayed on a monitor induces a loss of proprioception, which to compensate for requires extensive training. Intraoperative manual palpation can provide crucial anatomical information, which laparoscopic instruments are unable to reproduce. Computer science is producing technologies allowing for an easier adaptation to the modified depth of perception and is providing surrogate experiences of physical palpation through an artificial road map of the surgical anatomy: the concepts of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). 1 VR and AR are the fundamental components of the emerging concept of computer-assisted surgery (CAS). 2
