Abstract: A system and method allow creation of surgical annotations during surgery. A digital image of a treatment site in a region of patient anatomy is captured using a camera and is displayed on an image display. The system displays an overlay marking an anatomic region of interest in the displayed image. During the course of the surgery, panning of the image results in the anatomic region of interest being outside the displayed field of view. In response to user input, the displayed image is subsequently panned such that the anatomic region of interest and the displayed overlay return to the displayed field of view.

Abstract: In a system and method for determining guide points or a guide path for display on an endoscopic display, image data corresponding to a surgical treatment site is captured using a camera. Using the image data, the positions of one or more reference points within the surgical environment, are determined. Based on the positions of the reference points, the positions of guide points spaced from the reference point are estimated or determined, in some cases using predetermined offsets. The guide points or guide path is displayed as an overlay of the image data on an image display. In an embodiment using the system for a sleeve gastrectomy procedure, the reference points are input by a user or determined by the system with reference to a bougie that has been positioned within a stomach at the operative site, and the guide path is used as a guide for stapling and resection to form the sleeve.

Abstract: In a system and method conveying suture force information in surgery, real times images of a surgical site are captured and displayed on a display. A suture is engaged using at least one surgical instrument, which in some cases is a robotic surgical instrument. The system determines a tension in the suture using force data obtained from force sensors associated with the instrument or a robotic manipulator used to manipulate the instrument, or using computer vision techniques applied to the captured images. An overlay is generated and displayed on the display depicting the determined tension.

Abstract: In a system and method for correcting horizon line incongruity in a display of an image captured by an endoscope. The system determines an axial rotation of an angled endoscope while the endoscope is capturing video images of a surgical site. The capture images are displayed in real time on an image display, and, more particularly, are displayed as rotated by an equal degree to the amount of axial rotation, and in an opposite direction to the determined axial rotation. This avoids the undesirable shift of the horizon line on the viewer's monitor that typically occurs during axial rotation of an angled scope.

Abstract: A system for capturing records of a surgical procedure includes a camera that captures real time video images of a surgical treatment site. The system detects completion of a predetermined step of a surgical procedure by analyzing the image data using computer vision or analyzing kinematic information from a robotic component. Upon detecting completion of the predetermined step, the system stores a frame from the image data in a surgical record for the procedure.

Abstract: In a surgical system in which surgical instruments are manipulated using robotic arms that move in response to user input from a plurality of input devices. Images capturing an instrument positioned within view of a camera are received. At least one characteristic of the surgical instrument is determined by the system based on the image data. The system automatically assigns the surgical instrument to a user input device, or controls movement of the robotic manipulator carrying the instrument, based on the at least one characteristic. The surgical instrument is then robotically maneuvered by the corresponding robotic arm based on user input to the user input device.