Graphical and Haptic Simulation of Gallbladder for Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Training

Abstract

With the advancement of the technology traditional teaching, learning and train-ing paradigms in the medical field has been upgraded with quality, less-riskier computationally advanced procedures. Visio-haptic training platforms have of-fered such potential method in receiving pre-experience in surgery skills before traditional apprenticeship training where an experienced surgeon must be present. With the virtual simulations it can reduce both skill accretion time and the risk engage in surgery due to the naivet of the surgeon. The current state of art on deformable object modelling techniques, force and tac-tile feedback base training platforms are summarised in this thesis. After analysing them the deformable modelling algorithms, force feedback method and collision detection method were selected to implement the gallbladder model. Modified Novint Falcon has been used to give the user input and feel the force feedbacks for a set of given movements such as pressure, translation and torque. User evaluation has been conducted to ensure the realism of the graphical, tactile and force feedbacks of the proposed gallbladder model. A numerical evaluation is also conducted in order to evaluate the accuracy of the observed parameters with regarding to the soft tissue modelling methods. Upon the success of the research of modelling graphical and haptic gallbladder model the research study can be extended to implement the whole environment of the Cholecystectomy to enhance the quality of training of the apprentice surgeons instead of using traditional training methods.