Endoscopic third ventriculostomy assisted by augmented reality.

Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) technology has witnessed remarkable advancements in recent years, revolutionizing various fields, including medicine and surgery. In neurosurgery, AR holds immense promise for improving the accuracy, efficiency, and safety of various procedures. Augmented reality allows a user to visualize digital information such as 3D models, superimposed on their real-world field of view. Lately, there has been increased use of this technology for various procedures such as tumor resection, ventriculostomy, and pedicle screw insertion. Despite this, integration of AR into the field of neurosurgery is still in its infancy. As such, it is imperative that physicians continue to explore and document new clinical uses of AR. In this report, we describe the novel integration of AR into an endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) case. ETV is a minimally invasive technique used to treat hydrocephalus, which involves creating a new pathway for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage within the brain's ventricular system. The integration of AR into ETV procedures offers unprecedented opportunities to enhance surgical visualization, navigation, and decision-making, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes. Traditionally, neurosurgeons rely on pre-operative imaging, intraoperative neuronavigation systems, and their anatomical knowledge to perform an ETV. However, the complex neuroanatomy and variability among patients pose challenges to accurate navigation and spatial orientation prior to and during surgery. AR technology addresses these challenges by overlaying digital information-such as three-dimensional models, anatomical landmarks, and surgical trajectories-onto the surgeon's view of the patient in real-time.