Virtual surgery is Transforming Healthcare

Although virtual reality is most commonly associated with gaming, it is also gaining traction in other fields such as engineering, education, virtual reality for architecture, and healthcare. Consumer VR usage is increasing at an alarming rate, and VR is proving to be more than simply a gimmick in healthcare. Since this surgical field continues to improve in the digital world, a plethora of advancements has been identified as potentially technological innovations in the surgical industry. Since Augmented reality (AR) and Virtual reality (VR) have become more easily obtainable, accessible, as well as, most crucially, inexpensive, their usage in healthcare to improve the medical utilization of data is inevitable. Technologies have already been examined for their position in the surgeon’s armamentarium, whether it’s in anatomy, post-operative rehabilitation, or intraoperative operations.

Considering some criticisms about the technology’s immaturity, healthcare virtual reality has already been having an effect and providing opportunities for creativity. According to the latest stats, the AR/VR industry in healthcare is predicted to reach $7.05 billion by 2026.

With advancements in ultrasonography, MRIs, and other medical imaging techniques, medical imagery has changed dramatically during the last few decades. Image presentation (on a 2D monitor) had not altered significantly from the 1950s until today. Surgeons now also have pre-surgery accessibility to 3D views of hearts, eyes, knee joints, and more thanks to Virtual and Augmented reality. Surgeons have even used AR-enabled Haptic gloves to simulate the humming of cutting machines or drills in certain circumstances. Healthcare is one of the top three businesses that will continue to be early adopters of virtual reality technology through 2025, according to Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research.

According to Accenture, 82 % of medical professionals feel that VR technology provides a simple alternative for medical students as well as working health professionals to acquire and understand knowledge. According to the report, Virtual reality healthcare services would be welcomed by 62 % of patients as an alternative to conventional healthcare.

The following are the main factors of increasing VR usage in healthcare:

1. There is a high demand for high-quality healthcare.
2. There is a need to cut healthcare costs.
3. The role of linked devices in healthcare is becoming more prominent.

Well, surgeons are constantly on the hunt for new solutions that will improve their working conditions. They are frequently among the first to adopt technology that enables their field to provide stronger surgical as well as patient experiences. Fiber optics, for instance, enabled the advancement of small access surgery as well as robotic surgery, which led to the creation of technologies like the da Vinci robot more than a decade back. Such instruments have previously been expensive, however over the previous year, they have become less expensive and more freely accessible. With the rapid improvement and simplification of real-time visualization technologies, innovative computational approaches are developing.

Smartphones already have micro processing capabilities that match those of personal computers. Doctors’ near-universal usage of cell phones has fueled an increase in the utilization of technologies in healthcare. Clinical practice is increasingly guided by medical uses as well as rapid accessibility to internet sources. It has paved the way for the creation of strong wearable technology that can supply surgeons with high-resolution audio-visual data while they operate. The current emergence of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in healthcare, as well as their integration, is suitable for conversion into this data-rich industry, as well as justifies attention for upcoming initiatives to increase the surgical encounter.

Why do we need Virtual Surgery?

Why do we go to doctors when we are unwell? Because we trust them. We know their utmost priority is their patients. While doing any surgery the foremost valuable thing is a person’s health, and the surgeon can never experiment with a patient’s health. Surgical blunders have claimed the lives of many patients. Virtual reality is an excellent tool for experimenting with the many issues that can emerge during surgery. Let’s know how virtual surgery could solve such an issue.

Virtual surgery

Virtual surgery is a virtual reality method that allows physicians to perform surgery on 3D models rather than using a patient or cadaver to replicate surgical techniques. It aids surgeons in having a good concept of the result. In general, virtual surgery is a Virtual Reality approach for simulating surgery procedures that assist surgeons to enhance surgery planning and practice on 3D models. This provides the surgeon with a comprehensive image of the surgery’s results. The surgeon could examine the anatomy from a variety of perspectives. The virtual surgery is centered on a patient-specific simulation, thus whenever the true surgery occurs, the surgeon has already been acquainted with all of the unique techniques that will be used.

Dr. David Clarke of Halifax, Nova Scotia, performed the first virtual surgery on August 17, 2009, where he eliminated a brain tumor 24 hours later eliminating a synthetic tumor. Project Odysseus was made to generate a 3D representation of an individual’s liver as well as vasculature for doctors to practice before performing surgery. Thanks to modeling which allows surgeons to even observe how the liver is segmented thanks to the modeling. Argonaute, a communication system built by France Telecom, was also developed for the project.

Applications of virtual reality in surgery

1. Training and Education.
2. Surgical Preparation
3. Image Direction.
4. Tele-surgery.

Traditionally, cadavers or textbook illustrations were utilized for training. Users can explore the body from a variety of perspectives or “fly-through” parts to inspect bodies from inside using virtual reality simulators. Students can tear away the numerous layers of muscles and tissues to explore each organ independently, making the experience highly participatory. In traditional surgery planning, the surgeon uses his previous expertise and imagination to determine numerous factors and procedures for surgery. This leads to numerous blunders and possibly the risk of patients losing their lives. The use of virtual reality technology helps in the reduction of accidents as well as the most accurate planning of surgery. Stereotactic or noninvasive neurosurgery techniques have benefited greatly from the 3D reconstruction.

Conclusion

Medical errors are reduced as a result of intelligent computer backup. It enables superior anatomy and surgical skill training while reducing the requirement for cadavers. Furthermore, difficult surgery techniques can be practiced, novel methods explored, and errors addressed. It provides a clear picture of the surgery’s outcome. The most significant downside of using virtual surgery is the expensive cost of the machine. Aside from that, the equipment requires special training to operate. Human-computer interfaces need to be improved in terms of user interactions and system response. The simulator’s response to the users’ movements has time delays (lagging issue). Furthermore, the simulations have flaws in terms of realism. Harsha Rao thinks that his study of virtual surgery, as well as the use of virtual reality and augmented reality in surgery, will aid researchers in determining the best approach to take moving forward.