Although advanced surgical techniques have certain limitations when compared to traditional methods, the integration of virtual reality (VR) has opened up new possibilities to overcome these challenges. It's hard to dispute the growing importance of VR in healthcare. From surgery and psychotherapy to rehabilitation, VR is offering innovative and immersive treatment options that were once unimaginable.
Beyond hospitals, major technology companies are also investing heavily in this field. In October of this year, Intel made a strategic investment in EchoPixel, a company specializing in VR medical solutions. This partnership aims to equip clinicians with tools that allow them to visualize and interact with 3D models of internal organs during diagnosis and surgery. Similarly, HTC invested in VR Medical Surgical last year, leveraging their technology for real-time navigation during procedures, which enhances precision and improves surgical outcomes.
According to a recent report by Kalorama Information, a leading global medical market research firm, the U.S. medical sector’s virtual reality and augmented reality markets—spanning areas like surgery, medical education, pain management, and rehabilitation—are expected to reach nearly $1 billion within the next few years.
From a clinical perspective, VR is making a significant impact in various aspects of surgery:
- During minimally invasive procedures such as laparoscopy or endoscopy, surgeons rely on small incisions and imaging systems to view the surgical site. This limits their field of vision and can hinder their ability to fully understand the internal anatomy.
- Surgical navigation systems and image-guided surgery (IGS) are beginning to use 3D virtual models to guide operations. However, these systems often face challenges such as low-resolution images, limited anatomical segmentation, or reliance on outdated reference points.
- Robot-assisted surgery also encounters difficulties in cases involving laparoscopy or IGS, including issues with limited visual references and insufficient accuracy in guiding surgical instruments.
- Radiation therapy has seen improvements over time, with technologies like intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) allowing for more precise targeting of tumors while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
The introduction of VR and AR into surgical navigation, robotic-assisted surgery (RAS), and radiation therapy has been transformative. These technologies enable the creation of detailed 3D models based on preoperative imaging, which are then used to guide surgical instruments, identify critical anatomical structures, and improve the delivery of radiation.
Despite the potential, many vendors in the surgical and radiotherapy equipment industry are still in the early stages of adopting AR/VR. Some have yet to integrate VR/AR headsets or immersive systems into their platforms. However, several surgical systems already incorporate elements of AR and VR, enhancing visualization and interactivity through immersive models.
This article was originally published by VR Net. Please credit VR Net and provide a link back if you share it.
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