| The huge success of flight simulators has lured researchers to work towards developing virtual reality based surgery simulators for training of surgeons. This research work presents the simulation of special procedures, irrigation and suction for such surgical simulators. The special effects for these procedures add visual realism to the overall surgery simulation. We have employed physics based models for the simulation of an impinging water jet during irrigation, and the accumulated fluid in the patient's body. We have integrated this simulation with other special effects, bleeding and cauterization to form the integrated special effects module. This module runs in real time, fulfilling our most stringent requirement. The premise of the overall effort is that virtual simulation-based training of surgical residents in handling errors will result in a decrease in the number of surgical errors. Hence, special effects will form an integral part of the experimental simulator of laparoscopic herniorrhaphy under development. |
