PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a surgical operation support device which can accurately detect approach between a medical appliance inserted into a body cavity and an object in the body cavity.SOLUTION: A surgical operation support device according to the present invention comprises: distance measurement means for measuring a distance to an object in a body cavity； a hollow tube which has a cylindrical portion which is partially inserted into the body cavity and allowing measurement of a distance by the distance measurement means at a certain position around a long axis of the cylindrical portion； and control means for controlling a position around the long axis at which the distance is measured by the distance measurement means according to movement of the medical appliance in the body cavity so as to detect approach of the medical appliance inserted into the body cavity after passing through the cylindrical portion to the object in the body cavity.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1【課題】体腔内に挿入された医療器具と体腔内の物体との接近を精度よく検知することが可能な手術支援装置を提供する。【解決手段】本発明に係る手術支援装置は、体腔内の物体までの距離を計測する距離計測手段と、一部が体腔内に挿入される筒状部を有する中空管であって、筒状部の長軸まわりのいずれかの位置で距離計測手段による距離の計測を可能にする中空管と、筒状部を通過して体腔内に挿入された医療器具が体腔内の物体に接近したことを検知するように、医療器具の体腔内の移動に応じて、距離計測手段による距離の計測を行う長軸まわりの位置を制御する制御手段と、を有する。【選択図】図１
