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Smart Glasses in Surgery: The Theatre and Beyond
Syama Gollapalli1, Vidushi Sharma2, Adel Al Ghazwi1
1Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.
Surgical Innovation
|July 21, 2024
Summary
Smart glasses (head-mounted displays) can reduce procedural times in surgical settings without increasing adverse outcomes. However, cost and user experience factors require consideration before widespread adoption.
Area of Science:
- Medical technology
- Surgical innovation
- Human-computer interaction
Background:
- Head-mounted displays (smart glasses) are emerging technologies with potential applications in various medical fields.
- Their impact on procedural efficiency and patient safety in surgical settings requires systematic evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if smart glasses improve efficiency in procedural or theatre settings without compromising procedure quality.
- To qualitatively explore applications in surgical education, on-call duties, consulting, and patient observation.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of literature was conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
- Searches were performed on Pubmed, Cochrane, and Wiley Online Library.
- Quantitative studies compared procedural times and adverse outcomes with and without smart glass use.
Main Results:
- 32 studies met the inclusion criteria.
- 8 studies focused on procedural times and adverse outcomes.
- Smart glass usage reduced procedural time without increasing adverse patient outcomes.
Conclusions:
- While smart glasses show potential for reducing procedural times, surgeons must weigh this against costs, privacy concerns, and user discomfort.
- Promising applications exist in surgical education and consultation, but further trials are needed.
- More research is necessary to fully assess the value of smart glasses in clinical settings.
