Utilizing virtual and augmented reality for educational and clinical enhancements in neurosurgery

Panayiotis E Pelargos; Daniel T Nagasawa; Carlito Lagman; Stephen Tenn; Joanna V Demos; Seung J Lee; Timothy T Bui; Natalie E Barnette; Nikhilesh S Bhatt; Nolan Ung; Ausaf Bari; Neil A Martin; Isaac Yang

doi:10.1016/j.jocn.2016.09.002

Utilizing virtual and augmented reality for educational and clinical enhancements in neurosurgery

J Clin Neurosci. 2017 Jan:35:1-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2016.09.002. Epub 2016 Oct 27.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, 300 Stein Plaza, 5th Floor Wasserman Bldg., Los Angeles, CA 90095-6901, United States.
² Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, 200 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite B265, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6951, United States.
³ Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, 300 Stein Plaza, 5th Floor Wasserman Bldg., Los Angeles, CA 90095-6901, United States. Electronic address: iyang@mednet.ucla.edu.

PMID: 28137372
DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2016.09.002

Abstract

Neurosurgery has undergone a technological revolution over the past several decades, from trephination to image-guided navigation. Advancements in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) represent some of the newest modalities being integrated into neurosurgical practice and resident education. In this review, we present a historical perspective of the development of VR and AR technologies, analyze its current uses, and discuss its emerging applications in the field of neurosurgery.

Keywords: Augmented reality; Education; History; Innovations; Neurosurgery; Virtual reality.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Computer Simulation*
Humans
Neurosurgery / education*
Neurosurgical Procedures / education*
User-Computer Interface*