Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 29, 2026
Technical Approach for Infrared Tracking for Soft Tissue Navigation with a Holographic Head-Mounted Display and Preclinical Validation
Published on: September 2, 2025
The Use of Augmented Reality for Navigation in Minimally Invasive Abdominal and Thoracic Soft-Tissue Surgery: A
Inga Steinberga1,2, Victor Gabriel El-Hajj3, Laura Cercenelli4
1Laboratory of Translational Fertility Preservation, Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institute, 171 64 Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract:
Surgical navigation and augmented reality (AR) are widely used in neurosurgery, spinal surgery, and orthopedics. However, their use in minimally invasive abdominal and thoracic soft-tissue surgery is limited, as tracking deformable, mobile organs is challenging. Recent advances in AR may address these challenges to improve intraoperative navigation. This systematic review, registered in PROSPERO (2024) and based on PRISMA guidelines, analyzes literature from 2014 to 2024 about AR in minimally invasive abdominal and thoracic soft-tissue surgery. It identifies target organs, describes AR hardware and software, and evaluates accuracy levels, usability outcomes, clinical benefits, technical limitations, and research needs. Searches of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase for English-language studies found 1297 records, of which only 28 (2%) met the inclusion criteria. Nearly half (n =12; 42%) focused on liver surgery; none on gynecologic surgery. The AR devices varied in tracking methods, image processing, visualization, and display. Overall, AR improved anatomical guidance and procedural planning, especially in complex surgeries. Integration with robotic systems may further boost visualization, precision, and workflow, though challenges remain in standardization, large-cohort validation, and workflow integration.
