[Virtual reality and digital shoulder surgery]

Digital technologies are increasingly expanding the scope of shoulder surgery. In shoulder arthroplasty, CT-based three-dimensional (3D-) planning has become established for assessing glenoid morphology, selecting implants, and virtually positioning components. Patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) and computer-assisted navigation aim to translate preoperative planning into the operating room with greater precision. Virtual reality (VR) currently plays its most relevant role in shoulder surgical education and simulation. Augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) may enable intraoperative visualization of planning data and telemedical supervision, however, their intraoperative application should still be considered experimental. Despite promising technological advances, evidence demonstrating long-term clinical benefit, reduced revision rates, or cost-effectiveness remains limited.