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Virtual reality digital surgical planning for jaw reconstruction: a usability study
Timothy Manzie1, Hamish MacDougall2, Kai Cheng1,2
1Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
ANZ Journal of Surgery
|February 15, 2023
Summary
This pilot study shows that reconstructive surgeons find the new virtual reality-digital surgical planning (VR-DSP) platform usable and acceptable. Surgeons experienced efficient planning, indicating VR-DSP
Area of Science:
- Surgical innovation
- Medical technology
- Reconstructive surgery
Background:
- Digital surgical planning (DSP) enhances complex head and neck pathology management.
- Virtual reality (VR) integration offers immersive 3D visualization and manipulation capabilities.
- This study introduces the first head and neck reconstructive VR-DSP platform.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the usability and surgeon experience with a novel VR-DSP platform for head and neck reconstruction.
- To assess the efficiency and perceived benefits of VR-DSP in a simulated surgical planning environment.
Main Methods:
- Development of an original VR-DSP platform for head and neck pathologies.
- Prospective trial involving 13 consultant reconstructive surgeons with varying experience.
- Simulated VR-DSP planning sessions, pre/post-questionnaires, and audio recordings for qualitative analysis.
Main Results:
- The VR-DSP platform demonstrated above-average usability based on the system usability score.
- The majority of surgeons reported a positive experience, despite limited prior VR exposure.
- Participants identified potential barriers to the implementation of VR-DSP technology.
Conclusions:
- Virtual reality-digital surgical planning is a usable and acceptable tool for reconstructive surgeons.
- Surgeons performed planning tasks efficiently, even with minimal VR experience.
- VR-DSP offers significant advantages over existing VSP platforms, promising future benefits for reconstructive surgery.
