Utilizing virtual and augmented reality for educational and clinical enhancements in neurosurgery

Journal of Clinical Neuroscience. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jocn.2016.09.002 

Utilizing virtual and augmented reality for educational and clinical enhancements in neurosurgery

Panayiotis E. Pelargos, Daniel T. Nagasawa, Carlito Lagman, Stephen Tenn, Joanna V. Demos, Seung J. Lee, Timothy T. Bui, Natalie E. Barnette, Nikhilesh S. Bhatt, Nolan Ung, Ausaf Bari, Neil A. Martin, Isaac Yang

Neurosurgery has undergone a technological revolution over the past several decades, from trephination to image-guided navigation. Advancements in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) represent some of the newest modalities being integrated into neurosurgical practice and resident education. In this review, we present a historical perspective of the development of VR and AR technologies, analyze its current uses, and discuss its emerging applications in the field of neurosurgery.

KEYWORDS: Augmented reality; Education; History; Innovations; Neurosurgery; Virtual reality