Virtual reality and intracorporeal navigation in urology

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Medical Simulation
• Surgical Navigation

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) involves interactive computer-generated environments.
• Urology is rapidly advancing with new technologies and surgical practices.
• VR simulation is increasingly vital for urologist training, encompassing surgical and non-surgical skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To overview virtual reality (VR) systems, their types, and applications in urology.
• To explore the current and future implications of VR in urological practice.
• To review VR's role in surgical simulation and image-guided procedures.

Main Methods:

• Review of current virtual reality (VR) technologies and applications in urology.
• Analysis of VR's use in surgical simulation and training curricula.
• Examination of VR-based image-guided surgery systems and navigation modalities.

Main Results:

• VR simulation is a key component of urologist training, covering diverse techniques.
• Image-guided surgery using VR shows promise for various urological disorders.
• Navigation systems utilize pre- and intraoperative imaging to create surgical maps, with combined modalities recommended.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality (VR) presents significant opportunities for urologists, particularly in surgical simulation.
• Early clinical studies indicate VR and augmented reality (AR) can enhance surgical accuracy.
• Different navigation systems are being developed for various urological interventions.