Abstract
Developments in the architecture and organization of high-performance general-purpose computer systems are largely ignored by the technology infrastructure of the modern laparoscopic surgical suite. The current state of technology for laparoscopy is a camera and monitor linked via a controller that distributes analog or digital video signals without regard to their content. This article discusses the opportunities that will be created by inserting general-purpose high-performance computing into the information stream between camera and display. We envision that the use of this technology will radically transform laparoscopy from its current state as “surgery by pictures” into an entirely new, information-rich surgical environment.