Augmented Reality Navigation in Craniomaxillofacial/Head and Neck Surgery

Area of Science:

• Medical Technology
• Surgical Navigation
• Augmented Reality

Background:

• Craniomaxillofacial (CMF) and head and neck surgeries require precise navigation.
• Traditional navigation systems have limitations in real-time 3D visualization and intraoperative guidance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel augmented reality (AR) navigation platform for CMF and head and neck surgery.
• To assess the clinical utility, advantages, and disadvantages of AR navigation in various surgical scenarios.

Main Methods:

• A novel AR navigation platform was developed and deployed intraoperatively using a head-mounted display (Microsoft HoloLens 2).
• Virtual surgical plans were generated from medical imaging data and registered to patients.
• A retrospective review of 33 AR-navigated CMF cases (trauma, orthognathic, tumor, craniofacial) was conducted.

Main Results:

• The AR platform provided real-time 3D visualization, critical structure identification, and instrument tracking.
• This series details novel applications of AR, including instrument tracking for osteotomies, fracture reduction, and mandibular reconstruction.
• Integration of real-time infrared visualization for vasculature identification was demonstrated.

Conclusions:

• Augmented reality navigation offers significant advantages over traditional methods for CMF and head and neck surgery.
• AR provides heads-up, interactive 3D visualization and real-time tracking, improving surgical planning and execution.