Recently, a video of an operating room went viral on the Internet. In the video, the doctor can retrieve data directly from above the operating table and even observe the patient's holographic image on the spot with just gestures. Some doctors lamented: The operating room has developed into this now?


Sci-fi movie-like operating room

As you can see in the video, operations that originally required the doctor to leave the operating table can be completed anytime and anywhere.

For example, doctors can observe holographic images of patients in multiple dimensions.


Patient image data can be accessed at multiple levels (sagittal, coronal, and transverse).


You can switch between different window positions such as bone window and lung window. Just like adjusting the brightness of the picture on a smartphone, you can adjust the contrast with a swipe of your finger.


By switching freely with gesture operations, you can change the position of AR projection, adjust the observation level, and adjust the transparency.



Use any section at any angle to observe the relationship between the lesion and surrounding structures.


It can simulate the 3D fine anatomy of any part (such as the head and chest), and maintain high-resolution local 3D images even if it is zoomed in or out.


Doctors can navigate intraoperatively in 3D space with sub-millimeter accuracy.


Intraoperative navigation and operation simultaneously display real-time CT or magnetic resonance images from the surgeon's perspective.


It is reported that this is a concept short film released by a technology company called Medivis. SurgicalAR of the video is their product - this product can integrate three-dimensional visualization, simple interaction, and portable equipment through the latest breakthroughs in augmented reality, Al, and computer vision to assist preoperative planning, intraoperative navigation, and improve surgical efficiency.

According to the official website, SurgicalAR’s solution has been approved by the FDA and has been used in pilot operations in more than 1,000 surgeries.

Stephen Monteith, director of cerebrovascular neurosurgery from Sweden, reported after use, "It allows us to optimize surgical strategies to maximize patient outcomes and minimize risks."

Doctor: The anatomy changes greatly during surgery. How does AR deal with it?

In recent years, AR has become increasingly popular in operating rooms.

For example, the well-known medical company Stryker has launched a navigation system with skull guidance function, which can assist in positioning instruments and identifying the patient's anatomy during surgery; ZimmerBiomet has also launched a product for the shoulder joint, which can quickly provide a preliminary surgical plan that combines the surgeon's surgical preferences and the patient's anatomical landmarks.

The official website of Medivis shows that when AR enters the operating room, it can navigate and see invisible things and avoid "blind operations."


Medivis official website

After the above video was released, many doctors expressed their expectations.

They believe that if a robotic arm is added, the surgical operation will become much simpler. "In the future, doctors will not only need to be able to operate, but also be able to operate equipment." A doctor said.

However, some people think that the usability of this technology is not high.

A doctor left a message: This is just for preoperative preparation assessment and is of no use. The use of AR will not have a disruptive impact on surgery."Because the complexity of an operation cannot be solved by just looking at the images."Another doctor similarly said, "(The video) is preoperative, not real-time intraoperative. The anatomy changes a lot during surgery."

After watching the video, some doctors said that their hospitals have already started using AR. "Neurosurgery now has AR for intraoperative navigation. With the use of intraoperative magnetic resonance, it can be used for real-time positioning and navigation, and it can also be used with microscope focus navigation, but there is no gesture interaction for the time being. This product may be more combined with gesture control, which can have a smoother user experience." A neurosurgery doctor from a tertiary hospital said.


Doctors at UCDavis Health use augmented reality glasses to view patients' spines in 3D during spine surgery

Source: UCDavisHealth official website

Many doctors have shown a neutral attitude towards "whether AR should enter the operating room in the future."

Wang Chaoxi, deputy chief physician from the Department of Hand Surgery, said that nothing is good or bad, it all depends on how you use it. If AR enters the surgical field, "it may be more used in navigation technology and preoperative planning in the future." Another doctor from the cardiac surgery department of a tertiary hospital said that she generally supports the introduction of AR into the operating room and hopes that AR can assist the surgeon in reducing surgical risks.However, she emphasized that in any case, the actual clinical application must still be based on the surgeon and the instrument as a supplement. Technology is a blessing but not a leader.