Augmented reality system for oral surgery using 3D auto stereoscopic visualization.

Area of Science:

• Medical Technology
• Surgical Navigation
• Augmented Reality

Background:

• Traditional surgical navigation systems often rely on separate monitors, limiting the surgeon's direct visualization of patient anatomy.
• Accurate depth perception and real-time intraoperative guidance are crucial for complex oral and maxillofacial procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an augmented reality (AR) system for oral and maxillofacial surgery.
• To provide surgeons with direct, real-time 3D visualization of osseous and soft tissues overlaid onto the patient.
• To enhance surgical accuracy and safety by offering precise depth information and preventing penetration of high-risk areas.

Main Methods:

• Development of an AR system projecting 3D virtual models of patient anatomy directly onto the surgical field.
• Utilized a 3D integral imaging technique to achieve motion parallax in both horizontal and vertical directions over a wide viewing area.
• Implemented a content-rich, hardware-accelerated 3D interface for real-time surgical progress monitoring.

Main Results:

• The AR system successfully projected 3D virtual presentations of osseous and soft tissues onto the patient's body.
• Operational tasks, including hole drilling and screw fixation, were performed with an overall positional error of less than 1 mm.
• Feasibility was validated through a human volunteer experiment.

Conclusions:

• The developed AR system offers precise depth information, improving surgical accuracy and safety in oral and maxillofacial procedures.
• Real-time intraoperative visualization through the AR interface helps surgeons avoid high-risk areas, enhancing the overall quality of operations.
• The system demonstrates feasibility and potential for clinical application in advanced surgical navigation.