Augmented reality technology has a “bright future” in spine surgery

Alexander Satin, a spine surgeon at the Texas Back Institute (Frisco, Usa), speaks to Spinal News Worldwide about the explanations why he employs augmented fact (AR) in his observe. He outlines some of the essential benefits as well as downsides of the technologies and considers what the potential of backbone surgical procedures may possibly glimpse with a better adoption of AR.

Do you now use AR in your practice?

I do not at present utilise AR in the working room (OR). However, I have just lately setting up working with AR in my place of work for affected person education and learning prior to surgical procedure. By means of the AR headset, I am in a position to present a extensive visual illustration of the patient’s pathology and show them a phase-by-stage case in point of their medical procedures. I believe this considerably exceeds what we can present people with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluate and surgical versions. Study is necessary to clearly show how this impacts affected person pleasure and comprehension in contrast to regular preoperative education and learning strategies.

Why did you choose to incorporate AR engineering?

I selected to utilise AR know-how for a number of reasons. First and foremost, for my patients—I feel it improves their understanding of spinal pathology and the prepared surgical therapy. Second, I believe that it will inevitably come to be ubiquitous in spine surgical procedures.

What are the key positive aspects of AR and how can it assistance enhance results?  

AR platforms minimize OR litter and line-of-sight concerns compared to navigation and robotics units. The surgeon can depend on their headset as opposed to a monitor, which lets for direct visualisation and extra ergonomic placement. Inevitably the incorporation of MRI images will considerably enhance our ability to take pleasure in tender tissue structures and hopefully lower surgical morbidity.

Spinal News International lately ran a poll asking doctors no matter if or not they now use or would be open to utilizing AR in their observe. The results had been as follows:

What are the primary obstacles to adoption of this technology?

Although current AR platforms are considerably less highly-priced than other robotics and navigation units, the first money charges are however higher. Disposable expenditures for just about every situation make it less desirable to the ambulatory surgical procedures centre and/or surgeon owned facility. At present out there platforms also involve an intraoperative computerised tomography (CT) scan (as opposed to a preoperative CT scan). This dramatically increases initial capital fees if you never by now have obtain to intraoperative CT scan technological know-how. Eye tiredness and neck discomfort are problems that should be dealt with with foreseeable future iterations of the know-how.

What does the long run of spine surgery appear like to you?

The long run is dazzling for AR technological know-how. I consider we will eventually see the amalgamation of AR, robotics, navigation, and endoscopy. These mixed platforms will give surgeons with unparalleled visualisation although raising protection and lessening surgical morbidity.

Alexander Satin is a spine surgeon at the Texas Back Institute (Frisco, Usa). He graduated with honours from Johns Hopkins University just after earning a diploma in Biophysics. He gained his professional medical diploma from the Albert Einstein School of Medicine. He concluded his orthopaedic medical procedures residency at the Hofstra College-Northwell Overall health technique in New York. Pursuing his residency, Satin completed a spine surgery fellowship at the Texas Again Institute.

^{Pertinent disclosures: DeGen Health care (royalties and consulting)}