Background: This research paper provides a systematic literature review (SLR) on the current status of augmented-reality head-mounted devices (AR-HMDs) that guide and navigate spine surgeries and pedicle screw placement.
Methods: Embase, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane Library and IEEE Xplore databases were screened for the systematic literature search to collect and statistically analyze live patient clinical, procedural and user experience data. Multi-level Poisson and binominal models were used for analysis.
Results: In vivo patient data, only the clinically widely used Gertzbein-Robbins Scale, were published as an outcome in the recent heterogeneous literature. The statistical analysis supports the hypothesis that using AR-HMDs has the same clinical outcomes as using more expensive robot-assisted surgical (RAS) systems.
Conclusions: AR-HMD-guided pedicle screw insertion is reaching its technology readiness, providing similar benefits to RAS. Further meta-analysis is expected in the future from higher case-numbered and standardized randomized clinical trials.
Keywords: augmented reality; mixed reality; navigation and robotics in surgery; pedicle screw placement; spine surgery.