Figure. 3. Surgical findings of laparoscopic manipulation
In the infrared observation mode, the luminescent gauze with indocyanine
green was seen through the back of the tissue (a: normal mode. b:
infrared observation mode). It can be seen that the gauze was exposed by
switching to the near-infrared mode, even if it was not clear in the
normal mode that the layer of the transanal approach was reached (c:
normal mode. d: infrared observation mode). The target separation line
can be safely reached by cutting the membrane at a site with strong
luminescence (e, f). As the fibrous tissue was exfoliated, the
fluorescent gauze gradually became see-through (e). When the tissue was
further incised with an electric knife at the site where the
fluorescence was strong, the gauze was finally exposed to the naked eye
(f).
◆: Rectum. ▼: Levator ani muscle. ●: Prostate.