Image-guided surgery

The ear is a delicate instrument. For patients requiring surgery to this important sensory organ it is crucial that the risk of deafness by surgical error is minimised.

At the University College London Ear Institute, Professor Alf Linney and colleagues have developed new techniques for image-guided surgery, allowing surgeons to place and move their instruments more accurately.

Click on the image to watch a three dimensional reconstruction of the temporal bone, derived from computerised tomography (CT) scans.

The various anatomical components – bone, soft tissue and air spaces can be viewed separately using this technique. This example shows a platinum implant to replace the stapes in the middle ear.

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