AR has already proved that its applications touch domains that aren’t just limited to gaming. This fact is underscored by the news of hip replacement surgery that was performed in Boston with guidance from AR. The credit for this rather historical feat rests in the hands of a team of surgeons from New England Baptist Hospital. This is the very first AR-guided surgery in the world and its success marks the beginning of an era where technology can prove to be a life-saving factor.
How Was It Done
Real-time information about the unique anatomy of the patient was projected onto their body while the surgeons were operating. This was done using HipInsight, a new intr-operative AR guidance platform, Microsoft HoloLens 2 Mixed Reality Headsets, and a special tracker.
According to Dr.Steve Murphy, who is the hand behind the creation of HipInsight,
“What this does is it takes all the critical three-dimensional information of that patient and puts it right where you want it, when you want it, in real-time. The HipInsight system enables surgeons to stay focused on the patient, projecting holograms on AR glasses that effectively give them ‘x-ray vision’, so that surgeons can see what they need to see when they need to see it, right inside the patient’s body.”
HipInsight received the green light of approval from the Food and Drug Administration in January. The success of its recent practical application that created history will also open doors for other applications of the platform that can be of remarkable help and support to the medical field. Dr.Murphy hopes that the benefits of the platform could be experienced by patients in other countries as well since it is very much affordable and requires comparatively less training adding to the convenience of implementation of the platform.
When it comes to a field as noble as medicine, small mistakes and neglect could have a lasting impact on the life of a patient. This particular platform ensures safety on that grounds and facilitates the training of future generations of doctors in an environment that is safe and secure and where they do not have to worry about mistakes having lasting consequences.
The future of hip replacement is FDA-cleared! See virtual 3D anatomy, implants, and instrumentation inside the patient's body in real-time. #AugmentedReality #orthotwitter #hololens #MixedReality pic.twitter.com/lZgjYlnFfP
— HipInsight System (@hip_insight) April 8, 2021
