Augmented Reality Techniques in Minimally Invasive Surgeries

Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) is an interactive technology that enhances the real-world environment and its real objects by augmenting new computer-generated sensory input such as text, sound, video, or graphics. AR has particularly been applied as an entity of computer-assisted surgeries (CAS) in medicine. Using AR improved the results of conventional surgeries and had a great impact on the development of minimally invasive surgeries (MIS). One of the surgeries that revealed promising outcomes when using AR intraoperatively is total hip arthroplasty (THA). Most of the systems using AR intraoperatively in THA require pre-operative CT-scan and/or intraoperative X-ray imaging, which increases radiation exposure for both the medical staff and the patient and increases surgery time and cost. The objectives of this thesis are: 1. Presenting the benefits of using AR in the acetabulum cup placement in THA and comparing the results of the two available systems implementing this technology. PubMed and Cochrane Libraries were searched, and two systems were identified. Both had superior results when compared to conventional surgery with some advantages for one over the other. Despite the good results of both systems, further research and software development are required to address the challenges of using AR technology intraoperatively. In addition, this study recognized the paucity of published research in this field. 2. Proposing an AR system that uses the transverse acetabular ligament (TAL) as a guide for defining the accurate position for placing the acetabulum cup in THA. In opposite to other AR systems, this system is an image-free system, which means that it does not require a pre-operative CT-scan or intraoperative X-ray images, thus reducing radiation exposure and the surgery time and cost.