Extended Reality Applications in Otolaryngology Beyond the Operating Room: A Scoping Review

Objective: Extended reality (XR) has increasing usage in medicine, especially surgical fields, but the scope of applications is largely limited to intraoperative navigation. The aim of this scoping review is to evaluate all the available literature on how XR technologies have been applied to otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS) beyond the operating room for applications such as patient education and interdisciplinary communication. Review Methods: Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines, we systematically searched PubMed and Scopus. Studies were reviewed without temporal restriction. Inclusion criteria comprised English-language, peer-review papers or conference abstracts studying XR technologies for non-operative uses such as patient education, physician training, or interdisciplinary preoperative planning in the field of OHNS. Results: Database searching initially identified 1607 records. After filtering for duplicates, screening for relevance, and applying the inclusion criteria, 10 studies were ultimately included. This study identifies gaps in the existing literature and describes future applications and key areas of research. XR is a novel strategy for increasing patients' comprehension of their procedures and can facilitate improved communication and planning amongst a multidisciplinary surgical team during preoperative discussions. However, the existing literature is small in scale and has low statistical power for demonstrating clinical benefits. Conclusions: More robust studies are required to determine the true value of implementing XR. XR is a promising new technology with potential to advance education and patient care in OHNS. Ongoing research will continue to optimize the use of XR technology, ensuring safe and effective integration into clinical practice.