Basics of three-dimensional endoscopic vision.

The requirement of stereoscopic vision is based on the need for controlled manipulations in the object space. With the introduction of endoscopic surgery stereoscopic controlled manipulations proved to be helpful. Beyond this, the enhanced perceptibility of details and surfaces of pathological structures brought about by stereoscopy may lead to improvements in endoscopic diagnosis. The basic principle of stereoendoscopy is to make use of a combination of two monocular endoscopes aligned and adjusted for stereoscopic vision. The small objective base provides good perception of depth in a certain region close to the tip of the stereoendoscope. A set of stereoscopic equipment consists of various stereoendoscopes, a stereoscopic observing adapter, a stereo-video camera, and a stereoscopic monitor.