Ho-ho-ho! Gather ’round, my little elves, for I have a tale that’s not about toys or reindeer, but about the wonders of modern technology aiding the skilled hands of surgeons! In the land of Fujian Provincial Hospital, during the merry months of May and June in the year 2023, a group of clever doctors embarked on a quest to improve the way they perform a magical procedure known as retrosigmoid craniotomy.

Now, my dear friends, in this operation, it’s of utmost importance to pinpoint the location of the transverse-sigmoid sinus junction, or TSSJ for short. Think of it as finding the perfect spot to place the star atop the Christmas tree—it has to be just right! To aid in this task, these doctors turned to a creation akin to my own list of who’s naughty or nice: a mobile augmented reality navigation system, or MARNS, crafted by their own hands.

Seven brave souls, diagnosed with ailments that sound as tricky as a blizzard in July—acoustic neuroma, trigeminal neuralgia, and hemifacial spasm—were the stars of this observational research. With the help of MARNS, the surgeons located the TSSJ faster than reindeer on Christmas Eve, with an average time of just under five minutes!

The system was as precise as an elf’s craftsmanship, with a matching error smaller than the size of a peppermint candy—2.88 mm, to be exact. And just like how we ensure every gift is wrapped with care, the surgeons maintained the integrity of the bone flap with an average success rate of 86.7%, avoiding any injury to the transversal sigmoid sinus.

In the end, my jolly audience, this study showed that MARNS could be as helpful to surgeons as my sleigh is to delivering presents. It’s convenient, cost-effective, and reliable—three qualities that make both Santa and surgeons very happy indeed! So let’s give a round of applause for the wonders of augmented reality, making the operating room a little more like Santa’s workshop. 🎅🔍🧠