The world’s first book on exoscopic technology applied to otorhinolaryngology surgery has been released

Exoscope-Assisted Surgery in Otorhinolaryngology edited by Professors Armando De Virgilio and Giuseppe Spriano, respectively Researcher in Otorhinolaryngology and Full Professor of Otorhinolaryngology as well as Director of the Post-Graduation School in Otorhinolaryngology at Humanitas University, has been released on July 30th. The topic of the book is the use of exoscopic technology applied to otorhinolaryngology surgery, an innovative technology that in Humanitas has already been used for about 2 years especially in vocal cord surgery, microvascular reconstructive surgery, lacrimal ducts surgery, ear surgery and, ultimately, thyroid and salivary glands surgery. To date, in fact, the Humanitas group has the world’s largest number of publications on this topic.

Professors De Virgilio and Spriano are also the authors of some of the twelve chapters of the book which has seen contributions from other specialists, such as Professor Daniele Marchioni of the University of Verona; Professor Giorgio Peretti of the University of Genoa; Professor Roberto Puxeddu of the University of Cagliari and Professor Giovanni Succo of the University of Turin. All physicians from the Humanitas Otorhinolaryngology Unit also contributed as authors of the different chapters. “It is no coincidence that the first book on exoscopic surgery was written by otorhinolaryngology surgeons. In fact, the exoscope proposes itself as an alternative to the classical surgical microscope, and otorhinolaryngology specialists were the first to introduce it in the operating room in 1921. In Humanitas we immediately understood the enormous potential of this innovative instrument and we have introduced it in almost all surgical procedures, especially in those that require the use of the microscope,” explains Professor De Virgilio.

This is a high-magnification 3D visualization technology that has a clear advantage over the microscope: “It allows a three-dimensional view to all the people in the operating room, from the anaesthesiologist to the surgeon, including scrub nurses, residents and students. This way, everyone shares the first operator’s point of view. This is a great advantage.” Then there is an additional benefit that relates to ergonomics. Explains de Virgilio: “The exoscopic technology allows the surgeon to work in a more comfortable position, while the microscope very often requires less comfortable ones. Moreover, it’s a digital instrument that allows the usage of augmented reality filters. Lastly, this is a new digital instrument with an enormous potential evolution, including the combination with various robotic interfaces.”

Many students of Humanitas University, who, in recent years, have contributed to several theses on the subject, were involved in the writing of the book. The book also had a fairly quick drafting since “we already had a lot of available material, including a lot of data that we got from preclinical simulation activities at our simulation center.”