How Augmented Reality can make Surgery Safer?

Augmented reality devices can display 3D images and documentation, directly into the surgeon's field of view.

Current surgical navigation poses 3 significant challenges:

• Visualization in 2D.

• Surgeons are distracted by navigation systems.

• Alternating attention of the surgeon between the surgical site and the navigation systems.

How augmented reality can make surgery safer?

1. Improve the visualization

AR allows the surgeon to see 3D images as real 3D objects in space.

This allows the surgeon to interact more naturally with the content, which allows reducing the cognitive burden needed to process visual information.

Augmented reality allows improved precision for incisions and placement of screws and instruments.

2. Limit the surgeon's distraction

A second challenge the surgeon faces in the operating room is distractions.

AR allows the surgeon to control the opacity of the visual field in the operating room through the use of enhanced brightness functions.

A surgeon could use this feature to make their environment completely free of distraction and selectively increase their visual field to include only key anatomical structures.

3. Maintain attention to the surgical site

Augmented reality headsets allow the surgeon to focus on the surgical site.

This is made possible by projecting 3D images directly onto the patient or into a surgeon’s field of view when a surgeon wears augmented reality glasses.

A single AR display that integrates all imaging and patient data and allows surgeons to keep their eyes on the patient has the potential to improve quality and safety of operations.