2022 AMI Online Salon
Pediatric Chiari Decompression
Project Details
- Entrant Name: Xian Boles
- Client: James Perkins
- Copyright: Xian Boles, 2022
- Medium/software used: Procreate, Autodesk Maya, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
- Final presentation format: PowerPoint slide
- Primary Audience: Surgeons and residents
Project Description
This surgical illustration highlights key points of a VATS (video-assisted thoracic surgery) lower right lobectomy through a series of six steps arranged in a 9″x12″ layout. Relevant anatomy such as the ribcage, the heart, and the diaphragm are depicted to visualize port placement and general orientation. The colors used follow a combination of observation and convention: While red and blue vessels follow the convention of representing, respectively, oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, the environmental magenta and the pink-violet of the lungs reflect the actual colors observed in the OR. The target lobe was observed darkening following the ligation of the pulmonary vessels; Using that visual phenomenon as an advantage, the lower lobe was depicted in a slightly different value to help distinguish it from the upper and middle lobes. This illustration is not intended to show diversity as it focuses on internal anatomy of a patient where gender and ethnicity are not visible. As for accessibility, this illustration aims to make content easier for viewers to see. While color plays an important role, it is not used as the sole method of conveying content as value and line weight are also employed to distinguish visual elements. In addition, all text in this illustration has a contrast ratio of at least 3.5: 1, most being 4: 1.
