1. A computer-implemented method of performing a combined surface reconstruction and registration of stereo laparoscopic images, the method comprising: generating, by a computer system, an intraoperative three-dimensional model of an anatomical area of interest; receiving, by the computer system, a plurality of stereo endoscopic images of the anatomical area of interest from a laparoscope; performing, by the computer system, a first stereo reconstruction process using the plurality of stereo endoscopic images to yield a first surface image corresponding to the anatomical area of interest; aligning, by the computer system, the first surface image with a surface of the a pre-operative three-dimensional model using a rigid registration process; performing, by the computer system, a second stereo reconstruction process using the first surface image and prior knowledge from the pre-operative three-dimensional model to yield a second surface image corresponding to the anatomical area of interest; and aligning, by the computer system, the second surface image with the surface of the intraoperative three-dimensional model using a non-rigid registration process.