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Abstract
Objectives
We aimed to prospectively investigate the benefit of using augmented reality (AR) for surgery residents learning aneurysm surgery.
Materials and methods
Eight residents were included, and divided into an AR group and a control group (4 in each group). Both groups were asked to locate an aneurysm with a blue circle on the same screenshot after their viewing of surgery videos from both AR and non-AR tests. Only the AR group was allowed to inspect and manipulate an AR holographic representation of the aneurysm in AR tests. The actual location of the aneurysm was defined by a yellow circle by an attending physician after each test. Localization deviation was determined by the distance between the blue and yellow circle.
Results
Localization deviation was lower in the AR group than in the control group in the last 2 tests (AR Test 2: 2.7 ± 1.0 mm vs. 5.8 ± 4.1 mm, p = 0.01, non-AR Test 2: 2.1 ± 0.8 mm vs. 5.9 ± 5.8 mm, p < 0.001). The mean deviation was lower in non-AR Test 2 as compared to non-AR Test 1 in both groups (AR: p < 0.001, control: p = 0.391). The localization deviation of the AR group decreased from 8.1 ± 3.8 mm in Test 2 to 2.7 ± 1.0 mm in AR Test 2 (p < 0.001).
Conclusion
AR technology provides an effective and interactive way for neurosurgery training, and shortens the learning curve for residents in aneurysm surgery.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Siqi Ou, Guofeng Zhang, Linfeng Liu, Lu Bai, Luoxi Su and Beichuan Zhao for their participation in the study. Furthermore, we wish to express our gratitude to Professor Tiewei Qi for permitting the recording of his aneurysm surgeries, which served as invaluable test materials in the study.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).