An innovative new tool that uses a 3D computer model to guide surgeons during rectal cancer surgery is now available to patients and Intermountain Healthcare is the first in the nation to use it.
The new technology is called Iris.
A colorectal surgeon at Intermountain LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, Dr. Tae Kim, was the first physician to use the Iris technology for rectal robotic surgery. He said it was like having a 3D map before you go into a maze.
Iris converts MRI images into a 3D model showing the anatomy and location of the tumor in relation to other organs, enhancing the accuracy of the surgical procedure.
Dr. Kim said recovery time is typically shorter with robotics and tumors are removed with extreme precision.