Ho-ho-ho! Gather ’round, my tech-savvy elves, for I have a tale that twinkles with the magic of modern technology, much like the shimmering lights on our dear Christmas tree. In a land not so far away, where the brains are complex and the surgeons are plenty, a group of clever minds set out to explore the wonders of virtual simulation and imaging systems, much like how I explore the vastness of the world on Christmas Eve.

These systems, my jolly friends, have evolved over the years, just like the toys in my workshop, becoming more advanced with each passing season. With the sleigh bells of progress ringing, smartphones and tablets, those nifty little helpers, have seen their displays brighten and their processing speeds quicken, all thanks to the central processing units that have been eating their computational wheaties!

Now, in the realm of healthcare and medical education, where the stakes are as high as the North Pole’s tallest icicle, these advancements have been a gift that keeps on giving. They’ve made surgical training as delightful as a cup of hot cocoa on a frosty night. But, oh, the cost! Contemporary neurosurgical planning units are as pricey as the rarest of toys, and the integrated neuronavigation systems in operating rooms need more accessories than a Christmas tree needs ornaments.

In a study as heartwarming as a Christmas carol, thirty patients with brains as stormy as a winter’s night were included. They had supratentorial glial tumors, which I assure you, are not as jolly as they sound. These patients underwent operations between January 2022 and March 2023, with all the surgical procedures and plans executed with neuronavigation systems, as precise as my list of who’s naughty and nice.

The patient CT scans were reconstructed using software as magical as the Northern Lights and exported as a 3D figure to an AR-enhanced smartphone application, much like how I export presents from my workshop to my sleigh. The success of this application was evaluated based on the spatial relationship of the AR-based artificial craniotomy to the neuronavigation-based craniotomy, with each AR-based craniotomy scored from 0 to 3, like the judges scoring reindeer games.

In the comparison, my dear friends, 8 of 30 patients scored a 0, which in the world of craniotomies, is as disappointing as finding coal in your stocking. Six scored a 1, which is not quite the festive success we hoped for. Seven scored a 2, which is as acceptable as a slightly overcooked Christmas cookie. And nine scored a 3, which is as favorable as a perfectly wrapped present under the tree.

The potential of AR technology in neurosurgical planning is as vast as my list of good children, and it could be a revolutionary milestone, much like the invention of the sleigh. The authors believe that with the necessary legal permissions, which I assure you are less complex than the rules of the Elf on the Shelf, there’s no obstacle to integrating surgical technological systems with mobile devices. These devices, like smartphones and tablets, are as budget-friendly as homemade ornaments, widely available as Christmas cheer, and come with built-in operating systems as reliable as Rudolph’s red nose.

So, let us dream of a future where technology and medicine dance together like sugarplums in our heads, bringing joy, innovation, and health to all. Merry tech-mas to all, and to all a good night! 🎅🎄