Surgical Liver Illustration Series of the Laparoscopic Left Lateral Liver Sectionectomy. I am illustrating for Dr. Shiva Jayaraman of St. Joseph's Health Center, Toronto. © 2105 Laura Maaske - Medimagery LLC
Medical illustration, or biomedical visualization, is the practice of biomedical communication, specializing in visual representations of aspects of medicine and science. Common forms of expression include digital art, physical modeling, 2d animation, 3d animation and app development, among others. Biomedical illustrators are able to utilize their strong drawing skills together with their background biology, botany, zoology and other sciences. Medical illustrators draw a wide range of subjects from surgery to human and veterinary anatomy; animal life and plant life; chemical, molecular, and atomic structuress, and geologic and planetary formations.
drew the surgical illustrations below to reveal a specific technique for a surgical resection procedure to remove a stomach tumor. The procedure is a Laparoscopic Intra-Gastric Resection for Submucosal Proximal Gastric Tumor. My illustrations reflect the particular surgical approach taken by Dr. Julie Hellet of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada, for whom I prepared the drawings. The description below is my own endeavor to explain the procedure based on conversations with Dr. Hallet. The procedure as depicted for Dr. Julie reflects the actual surgical case of a 59 year old patient with a tumor mass on the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), which is defined as the point where the lower esophagus joins the top of the stomach. Particularly, the tumor was localized to the lesser curve of the stomach, below the GEJ. The patient did not have symptoms of a tumor. The tumor was found coincidentally by clinicians during during workup when the patient was first diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. A 5.3 cm tumor was discovered during ultrasonic and endoscopic exploration.
The Laparoscopic Distal Pancreatectomy is a surgical procedure performed to remove both solid and cystic tumors from the distal pancreas. Tumors of this type to this area of the pancreas usually affect middle-aged adult women. Surgeons aim to preserve as many of the critical splenic and pancreatic vessels as possible. Careful effort is made to preserve the surrounding tissues. This way, the blood supply to vital pancreatic tissues is not disturbed. The procedure is performed laparoscopically as this is less invasive than an open surgical technique, and offers a more cosmetic impact.
I created this surgical illustration series on the oophoropexy, or ovarian transposition. This is a surgery in which a woman's ovary is moved to a different part of her abdomen so that radiation can be safely performed. Later in her life, the surgeon may move the ovary back to its proper position, giving the woman a better chance to become pregnant.