New technology brings mixed reality into the operation room
UAB medical experts are teaching the next generation of physicians and executing total hip replacements using mixed reality technology.
Virtual reality headsets are often used by children and video game fans to explore new virtual worlds. However, experts at Birmingham’s University of Alabama have brought these virtual reality spectacles into the operating room and skills lab.
Assistant professor Scott Mabry, M.D. of the UAB Department of Orthopaedic Surgery helps perform and educate patients on total hip replacements, especially those that need the replacement of the acetabular component socket, by using mixed reality technology.
He begins by creating a three-dimensional model of the patient’s hip using a CT scan. The best hip replacement position is then determined during a preoperative planning session. Mabry overlays the patient’s 3D pelvic model and surgical plan while carrying out the treatment using a mixed reality headset. This helps to ensure precise implant placement.
While this technique may be used for any kind of hip replacement, according to Mabry, those with complex or unusual anatomy have profited from it the most. Since these circumstances prevent one from finding their typical surgical landmarks, mixed reality aids in overcoming that obstacle.
The instructional program of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is being revolutionised by mixed reality, in addition to revolutionising Mabry’s surgical methods. In addition to studying technique manuals and practicing on cadavers, students may also spend time in a virtual operating room.
When it comes to the use of virtual reality in healthcare, Mabry said that people may now go into a virtual operating room and mimic an operation using a novel method or device. This promotes the development of muscle memory and step-by-step familiarity with the technique.
Mabry claims that this adaptive simulation model will contribute to the development of more capable and confident medical professionals who will be better equipped to handle challenges in the real world.
