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The Development And Applications Of Augmented And Virtual Reality Technology In Spine Surgery Training: A Systematic
Youngkyung Jung1, Varun Muddaluru2, Pranjan Gandhi1
1Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Summary
Augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) show promise in spine surgery training. However, current evidence is limited by moderate study quality, necessitating higher-quality, multi-center research for wider adoption.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Education
- Medical Technology
- Neurosurgery & Orthopedics
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic increased interest in augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) for surgical training.
- The efficacy of AR/VR in spine surgery training requires further investigation.
- This systematic review summarizes the current literature on AR/VR in spine surgery education.
Approach:
- A comprehensive systematic literature review was performed on May 13th, 2022.
- Databases searched included PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, and Embase.
- Studies from orthopedic and neurosurgical spine programs were included without restrictions on study type or AR/VR modality.
Key Points:
- Sixteen studies examining nine unique AR/VR systems were included from an initial 6752 studies.
- The included studies exhibited moderate methodological quality (MERSQI score: 12.1 ± 1.8).
- Data pooling was constrained by heterogeneity in study designs, single-center focus, and unclear response rates.
Conclusions:
- AR/VR systems are being explored for training residents in diverse spine procedures.
- Higher-quality, multi-center, and longitudinal studies are essential.
- Further research is needed to fully integrate AR/VR technologies into spine surgery training programs.
