A Review on the Applications of Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality in Surgical Simulation: An Extension to Different Kinds of Surgery

Abel J Lungu, Wout Swinkels, Luc Claesen, Puxun Tu, Jan Egger, Xiaojun Chen

December 5, 2020. In Expert Review of Medical Devices.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17434440.2021.1860750

Abstract

Background

Research proves that the apprenticeship model, which is the gold standard for training surgical residents, is obsolete. For that reason, there is a continuing effort towards the development of high-fidelity surgical simulators to replace the apprenticeship model. Applying Virtual Reality Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) in surgical simulators increases the fidelity, level of immersion and overall experience of these simulators.

Areas Covered

The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the application of VR, AR and MR for distinct surgical disciplines, including maxillofacial surgery and neurosurgery. The current developments in these areas, as well as potential future directions, are discussed.

Expert Opinion

The key components for incorporating VR into surgical simulators are visual and haptic rendering. These components ensure that the user is completely immersed in the virtual environment and can interact in the same way as in the physical world. The key components for the application of AR and MR into surgical simulators include the tracking system as well as the visual rendering. The advantages of these surgical simulators are the ability to perform user evaluations and increase the training frequency of surgical residents.