Introduction
Medical Errors can be divided into two categories: Errors of omission and errors of commission. Errors of omission are errors that are not done, and errors of commission are errors that are done. Both of these errors can be avoided with the help of Augmented Reality (AR)-guided surgery. AR-guided surgery will help the medical team be highly effective in performing surgeries. AR surgery can be thought of as medical GPS! In other words, AR-guided surgery can be guided.
AR is the next great thing in medicine. AR in healthcare industry is to achieve a higher percentage of good patient outcomes. Above all, the medical community needs to be convinced that all errors can be avoided.
The exciting and promising thing about AR is how easy and simple it can be for medical professionals, especially surgeons. In performing surgeries, accuracy is of the utmost importance, and errors made by the surgeon can be life-threatening in most cases.
Let us explore the potential of AR in surgery with a few examples, and benefits
AR uses 3D models derived from diagnostic imaging such as CT scans, X-rays etc. to create 3D body internal models that can be superimposed on the patient during surgery. The surgical plans are created and integrated into the application. This allows surgeons to execute the surgical plan for the intended outcomes in the surgery field.
While we can discuss the potential of AR at length, let’s look at some examples of how it is being used in surgeries around the world.
It was found that the biggest advantages of AR were in the following areas:
Intraoperative accuracy
Improved surgical outcomes
Reduced exposure to radiation
All of these benefits will contribute to making surgeries safer.
Surgery can be a traumatic experience for many people, so many opt for medication to treat their conditions. However, there are also minimally invasive techniques like laparoscopy that require very little incision. AR takes the diagnostic images from the scans and creates 3D models with commercial software. This model can then be edited and coded to rotate and translate the 3D model with voice commands and gestures, allowing surgeons to use the 3D holographic image projected on the patient in the operating room to create and implement surgical approaches. This allows surgeons to target specific areas for incisions and carry out minimally invasive techniques. Looking for reliable devices in this context: AR VR Solutions at your service.
Surgical planning involves a multi-disciplinary team in a hospital. This team can work with experts from all over the world to create surgical plans before the operation. Voice-over instructions can be included to help the surgeon perform the procedure more accurately, reducing the risk of mistakes. Additionally, the AR device is operated by the surgeon and can be streamed to other surgeons for remote support, monitoring and advice.
Another great advantage of AR surgery is that medical students can observe and learn how complicated surgeries are performed. Recording of these surgeries can be viewed over and over again, and procedures can be developed or refined based on the experience. The need for zero tolerance for errors needs to be instilled from the very beginning of their careers. There is a huge amount of knowledge that can be created and stored for the benefit of both doctors and patients. This alone is enough to make the case for AR for surgery stronger and help provide safer surgeries for all patients in the future.
AR reduces mistakes and may help reduce legal issues for surgeons in cases of medical malpractice.
AR-assisted surgeries are team events with a team of experts and there is evidence of how procedures were done for future review.
The medical community can carry out their tasks with less fear or worry that things could go wrong, and sometimes even despite best efforts.
Conclusion
As Augmented reality continues to gain traction in medical surgery, hospitals need to engage technology professionals to evaluate new use cases and develop customised solutions. Ultimately, we realise the importance and usefulness of AR to make surgery safer and improve the quality of life.