Method and device for processing images in order to automatically estimate the position of a trocar

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for processing images acquired by an endoscope (), for the automatic estimation of the position of at least one trocar () which is disposed on a wall () of the body of a patient, each trocar () being configured to permit the passage of an instrument () therethrough in order to access a cavity () in the body of the patient, characterized in that it comprises a step of acquiring images of the abdominal cavity () of the patient using the endoscope (), each of the images showing at least one instrument () passing through each trocar (), a step of determining, from the images, the position and orientation of the instrument () with respect to the position of the endoscope (), a step of estimating, from the images, the position of each trocar () from at least two positions and orientations of the instrument ().