Virtual Reality Revolution in Medicine and Surgery

Trisha Banerjee


Virtual reality (VR) is a cutting-edge technology that has been implemented in the healthcare industry in recent years. It has proven to be beneficial for uses such as medical training, patient treatment and surgery. VR is the computer-generated simulation of a 3D image or environment that can be interacted with using special electronic equipment. 

Dr. Shafi Ahmed conducted the first VR surgery in 2016 and since then VR has been increasingly used in this field. VR is used in robotic surgery as it enables the surgeon to control the delicate robotic arm movements which would be difficult to perform by a human surgeon. Robotic surgery combined with VR improves accuracy, reduces blood loss and leads to a faster recovery. Medical professionals have more recently been using VR to plan heart surgeries as the technology helps them to understand the patient’s complex anatomy in greater detail before making an incision. Moreover, in neurosurgery surgeons use VR to practice the surgery ahead of time by practicing on computerised images of the patient. Surgeons are able to rotate and examine every angle of the anatomy to anticipate each stage of the surgery, thus making the procedure safer. 

VR has been successfully used in medical training over the past few years to train surgeons. Companies such as Osso VR offer VR training to help surgeons by providing life-like simulations of a range of operations. The 3D image that is provided allows for a detailed anatomical view therefore it allows the surgeon to practice with increased precision. A study by Harvard Business Review showed that VR trained surgeons had a 230% increase in their surgical performance compared to traditionally trained surgeons. VR trained surgeons were also faster and more accurate in performing surgical procedures. Furthermore, the interventions enabled the surgeons in the study to complete the surgical procedures 20% faster and carry out 38% more steps correctly compared to the surgeons with no VR exposure. Hence, VR is proving an important educational tool for the future of surgeons to continue to provide the best care for patients. 

In addition, the benefits to patient care have also been assessed and proven to be plentiful. In a study of patients undergoing surgery at St.Georges Hospital, 100% of patients who had used a VR headset before and during their surgery to view calming landscapes reported that their experience was improved. 94% of the patients reported feeling more relaxed and 80% reported that they felt less pain after wearing the headset. VR headsets have been used to distract patients from the painful stimuli during and post-surgery such as with burns patients. In terms of aftercare, VR has been implemented to speed up recovery time in physical therapy by providing VR training exercises tailored specifically to the patients' needs. This makes physical therapy more engaging and enjoyable for the patient. Researchers have also found that after VR therapy, children with cerebral palsy experienced a significant improvement in their mobility. Hence, VR enhances the patient’s experience of both surgery and recovery. 

The use of virtual reality in medicine is revolutionary as it is providing fascinating possibilities that are increasingly helpful to both doctors and patients. VR has also been beneficial as an educational tool to train future surgeons. VR is enhancing both the surgeon's ability to provide care and the patient's experience in the healthcare setting and so is becoming more widely adopted in surgery. Importantly, it must continue to be provided in the hope that more surgeons are able to make use of using cutting-edge technologies in healthcare settings. 

References: 

  • https://medicalfuturist.com/5-ways-medical-vr-is-changing-healthcare/
  • https://hbr.org/2019/10/research-how-virtual-reality-can-help-train-surgeons
  • https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2017/07/virtual-reality-system-helps-surgeons-reassures-patients.html 

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