Integration of Augmented Reality for Pediatric Transsphenoidal Approaches

Augmented reality (AR) technology has witnessed remarkable advancements in recent years, revolutionizing various fields, including medicine and surgery. In neurosurgery, AR holds immense promise for improving the accuracy, efficiency, and safety of various procedures. Augmented reality allows a user to visualize digital information such as 3D models, superimposed on their real-world field of view. Lately there has been increased use of this technology for various procedures. Despite this, integration of AR into the field of pediatric neurosurgery is still in its infancy. As such it is imperative that physicians continue to explore and document new clinical uses of AR.

We describe a four patient clinical series using a novel Augmented reality system for optimizing surgical approach for pediatric transsphenoidal resection of pituitary masses. The AR technology registers patients’ 3D anatomy onto their head using a headset-based fiducial-less registration process. The average registration time of the system was 32.8 seconds. The 3D visualization was used to confirm proper head position and create a surgical path to the lesion via the creation of a virtual trajectory. We found that the ability to visualize registered 3D anatomy, especially the relationship between the pituitary mass and the internal carotid arteries facilitated an easier approach and faster identification of the tumor.

The use of Augmented Reality (AR) in transsphenoidal pituitary resection represents a significant advancement in neurosurgical techniques and can offer numerous benefits that enhance surgical precision and patient outcomes. This technology helped to enhances preoperative planning and intraoperative navigation, allowing for confirmation of the surgical approach. Ultimately, the continued development and adoption of AR in neurosurgery have the potential to revolutionize surgical practices, making complex procedures more precise, and more effective.

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Artikel online veröffentlicht:
07. Februar 2025