Feasibility of Spinal Facet Joint Injections With Augmented Reality Headset: A Cadaveric Study.

Area of Science:

• Medical technology
• Neurosurgery
• Radiology

Background:

• Augmented reality (AR) head-mounted displays (HMDs) offer advanced 3D visualization for surgical procedures.
• AR-HMDs have the potential to improve procedural accuracy and reduce radiation exposure in spinal interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of an AR-HMD navigation system for facet joint injections.
• To compare the AR-HMD approach with the conventional C-arm-guided technique.

Main Methods:

• A prospective controlled study involving 5 cadavers and 216 facet joint needle placements (108 AR-assisted, 108 C-arm-guided).
• Computed tomography was used for 3D spine model generation and postprocedural validation.
• An AR application on HoloLens 2 was utilized for navigation, with blinded radiologist evaluation.

Main Results:

• Overall success rates for AR-guided and C-arm-guided facet joint injections were comparable (P = .23).
• Lumbar region placements demonstrated significantly higher success rates with the AR-guided approach compared to C-arm guidance (P = .03).

Conclusions:

• AR-guided facet joint needle placement is accurate and safe, comparable to conventional C-arm techniques.
• The AR-HMD system enhances 3D visualization and may reduce radiation exposure.
• Further research into AR technology for spinal interventions is warranted.