Augmented reality (AR) technology superimposes data or graphics onto
the real-world environment, providing an enriched world view and
enhancing how we experience our surroundings. One exciting application
of AR is in healthcare, where it is quickly gaining traction as ‘the’
tool to change how surgery and training are performed for the better.
It provides a richer view of the world and better data, enabling
earlier and better clinician decision-making. Healthcare is still
learning the full potential of AR.
AR will have a dramatic effect on surgery. It will transform the
nature of surgical teams, incorporating new ways of training,
learning, communicating, and interacting with patients and better ways
to plan and execute procedures. AR allows surgeons to see complex
anatomical structures in three dimensions, which will help avoid
surgery-related complications. AR-enabled surgery planning will enable
more precise pre- and intra-operative assessments, thus reducing
complications and the time needed to recover from surgical procedures.
In addition, many surgical procedures, such as liver resection, will
be able to utilize minimally invasive techniques that are quicker and
lead to faster patient recovery. Medical students will also benefit
from AR: they will be able to learn through simulated performing of
surgical procedures on complex three-dimensional models that will
provide feedback to their decision-making, such as speed, accuracy,
safety, positioning, and technique, until they are ready to switch to
performing the procedures on real patients.
AR aids in providing better visualization and, therefore, more
accurate surgical planning, which reduces potentially life-changing
errors that can impact a patient’s quality of life. Less invasive
approaches that are less traumatizing and lead to shorter recovery
periods boost patient satisfaction and safety. AR is becoming an
essential extension to medical education and surgery, providing
valuable opportunities to enhance these services and raise the bar in
training and patient care.
AR technology can potentially reduce surgical errors by displaying real-time and 3D anatomy structures in the surgical field. While performing surgery, some vital anatomic structures and nerves need to be avoided. These structures are not always readily apparent to the human eye, mainly when a team of surgeons works together, looking at different angles and depths in the patient’s body. Augmented reality (AR) technology can reduce surgical errors by displaying real-time and 3D anatomy structures, such as vasculature and organs, onto the surgical field. Consequently, this augmented display shows the surgeon the patient’s unique anatomy in real-time and guides the surgeon through the surgical procedure, reducing the likelihood of making mistakes. For instance, Microsoft HoloLens enables guided visualization and hands-free manipulation of interactive 3D objects during surgical procedures. Similarly, the Xvision wearable made by the company Augmedics provides a realistic image of the surgical site from a surgeon’s field of view, aiding in understanding anatomy for complex surgeries, as shown in the above image.
AR plays a critical role in developing minimally invasive surgeries – procedures that maximize patient comfort and minimize the need for recovery time. The little camera lets surgeons see everything, while the AR allows surgery through tiny incisions. Four years ago, Cody Abate, an engineer at the Mixed Reality Lab at the University of New Mexico Hospital, developed his first AR system in collaboration with a plastic surgeon. Together, they identified key parts of hand surgeries that could become more accurate and easier to perform with visual-assistance solutions that are resident, live, and hands-free. Since then, Abate has developed other AR experiences for minimally invasive surgeons who require energy imaged in an out-of-hospital environment. These surgeons specialize in small, complex surgeries where even tiny errors can cause weight shift, poor exposure, or compromised outcomes – all typically resulting from surgeon fatigue, which increases the chance of muscle and tissue injuries and longer recovery times. In most cases, AR has been shown to reduce procedure times from 30 minutes to 10 minutes.
By allowing students to engage in the learning process in a semi-physical environment, augmented reality (AR) uses three-dimensional anatomical models of all body systems to help them understand complex biological phenomena, see complex physiology in action, and initiate actions to visualize results in real time. AR has, and will continue to, revolutionize medical education by creating an immersive learning environment and enhancing learning. For example, by knowingly breathing in more air after plugging your nose, a student exploring the respiratory system through AR will observe the chest expanding. Or, by using AR to teach the functioning of the human heart, a future doctor will be able to control its beat and rhythm. These environments allow students to learn and work with human anatomies conveniently and avoid expensive and challenging experiments. As demonstrated by the research, AR-based medical education enhances retention by aiding understanding and development of practical skills while shortening the learning curve.
AR is also used to train medical students and trainees in surgical procedures. AR simulation platforms enable learners to practice their surgical skills in a safe environment before performing the same procedures on real patients. By using these platforms, learners can find themselves in a scenario that makes them feel like a surgeon in an operating room. The entire experience is as realistic as possible, with no risk to the patient. Simulation training is used to help surgeons develop their skills and confidence and practice surgical techniques before performing them in real life. AR also allows learners to train together as a team. For example, they can give instructions or ask questions about a specific procedure using their holographic environment and receive real-time feedback from the whole group. This type of simulation eliminates interferences from traditional in-person training. It helps medical professionals who work in teams to experience practices in realistic virtual settings that will help them when they enter the operating room. This culturally rich training will improve communication and teamwork skills among medical trainees, ensuring their readiness for real-world challenges.
Augmented reality (AR) technology in medicine promises to help minimize these errors and other mistakes so doctors can improve patient outcomes. By overlaying information or digital images onto a patient’s body, AR allows surgeons immediate access to real-time information and data. For example, AR can clearly show the position of a beating heart, allowing the surgeon to make rapid, informed decisions. AR helps improve surgical accuracy by adding anatomical maps or overlaying medical images so surgeons can see critical structures during a procedure. It also helps to visualize the flow of air, blood, oxygen, and other remedies inside patients’ bodies in real-time. Finally, AR enhances collaboration among the surgical team, giving everyone instant access to the same information. For example, actively engaged family members are beginning to use AR stethoscopes to hear a patient’s heartbeat and create a more personal connection. Patients at home during a surgical procedure can now be in the same operating room through a virtual-reality headset conversation with their loved ones.
AR also enhances patient safety by allowing the use of minimally invasive surgical techniques and aids faster recovery through enhanced visualization. As incisions can be made in smaller areas using AR visualization aids, postoperative complications are minimized, hospital stays are shortened, and patients can return to normal activities faster. Improved visualization during surgery also enhances surgeon focus and precision.
Adopting AR in healthcare also results in substantial cost savings in training and surgery. Conducting training for surgeons using cadavers and physical surgical models is typically costly and logistically challenging. AR overcomes much of this obstacle as it allows surgeons to experience realistic, interactive simulations that confer the same educational outcomes without additional costs. It can also be used for guidance during surgeries. This can significantly decrease the duration of operations because the surgeons are better equipped to carry out complex procedures in real time with heightened confidence, leading to shorter operating times. This, in turn, reduces costs for healthcare businesses and allocates more surgical resources for other patients, benefiting medical practitioners and patients alike.
While the applications are currently few and far between and limited to application in surgery and towards educating and training medical students, the clinical possibilities of AR are immense in the future. For patient care, the research will advance the capabilities to animate patient data, treatment plans, or possible outcomes as overlays superimposed onto the patient during the consultation. Using AR in rehabilitation is a scene from a computer game where patients are coaxed over hours to recover their mobility and strength with an interactive exercise regime where their performance is fed back to them. In diagnostics, AR can enable clinicians to visualize complex data sets. For example, a genetic overlay could help identify a patient type more readily and quickly, resulting in a faster diagnosis and targeted treatment. One way or the other, AR will transform the entirety of the patient care continuum.
We are only beginning to integrate AR with other emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and telemedicine. For instance, combining AR with AI allows clinicians to use powerful analytics to generate personalized treatment recommendations and offer predictive intelligence to inform clinical decision-making. When used with robotics, AR enables surgical instruments to be controlled with unprecedented precision to make surgeries safer and more efficient. In telemedicine, AR can enable remote consultations that allow clinicians to gain a better immersive human connection between the healthcare provider and the patient, from diagnosing illnesses to physically showing patients how to perform certain care procedures by displaying visual aids over face-to-face video chats. This marriage of technologies will make healthcare more accessible, efficient, and effective.
Finally, AR has an overwhelming effect when it is implemented in healthcare. AR technology will help surgeons perform some procedures faster and better through immersive and comprehensive visualization technologies. Such tools will also make medical training more engaging. The potential of AR will only grow as the technology integrates with other tech innovations and can be utilized for more applications, such as bringing better outcomes for patients, assuring safety, and making training courses; apart from boosting healthcare through further technological advancements, the use of AR in healthcare software is an essential first step to a future where technology is not just an object of curiosity but a solution for better healthcare services and, in the long run, a better future for healthcare professionals.