Surgeons often operate in the dark. They have a limited view of the surface of the organ, and can typically not see what lies hidden inside. Quality images can routinely be taken prior to the surgery, but as soon as the operation begins, the position of the surgeon’s target and risky areas he must avoid, continuously change. This forces practitioners to rely on their experience when navigating surgical instruments to, for example, remove a tumor without damaging healthy tissue or cutting through important blood supplies.
