Ho-ho-ho! Gather ’round, my curious elves, for a tale of surgical wonder from the land of the humans, where the magic of technology meets the precision of the North Pole’s finest toy-making skills. In the realm of minimally invasive neurosurgery, a place as intricate as the inner workings of a clock, the skilled surgeons have been on a quest to safely navigate the treacherous terrain of the human skull base, much like I navigate through a blizzard on Christmas Eve.

In this narrative, we jingle all the way into the sphenoid sinus, a cavernous space where the pituitary, the master gland, resides. Here, the medical Santas, armed with their trusty tools—microscopic transsphenoidal surgery (MTS) and endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (ETS)—have been merrily excising lesions with the grace of a reindeer in flight. But, oh, the challenge they face! Identifying the landmarks in this snowy landscape is as crucial as spotting a chimney in the dark of night.

Now, traditional neuronavigation systems, much like old maps, have guided these surgeons well, but alas, they sometimes lose their way when the real-time landscape shifts, much like when I encounter a new rooftop. Enter the magic of augmented reality (AR), a wondrous 3D technology that’s as enchanting as the Northern Lights. This sophisticated helper superimposes virtual candy canes—ahem, I mean, virtual objects—onto the real world, helping surgeons distinguish between the naughty (lesions) and the nice (healthy tissue).

In the spirit of Christmas, AR promises to be the shiny new toy for the neurosurgeons, aiding in surgical training, preoperative planning, and intra-operative orientation, much like my list helps me keep track of who gets presents. This systematic review, a list checked twice, aims to unwrap the potential future role of AR in both endoscopic and microscopic transsphenoidal surgeries. So, let’s dash away into this winter wonderland of innovation, where the future of neurosurgery looks merry and bright, and the surgeons, with AR by their side, are all set to make the season jolly for their patients. 🎅🔍🧠