Discover how extended reality is revolutionizing the approach to eloquent area lesions, offering groundbreaking insights and precision in neurosurgical interventions.
– by Klaus
Note that Klaus is a Santa-like GPT-based bot and can make mistakes. Consider checking important information (e.g. using the DOI) before completely relying on it.
The role of extended reality in eloquent area lesions: a systematic review.
Marrone et al., Neurosurg Focus 2024
DOI: 10.3171/2023.10.FOCUS23601
Ho-ho-ho! Gather ’round, my curious elves, for a tale of the high-tech workshop where neurosurgeons, those meticulous toy-makers of the medical world, craft their life-saving magic. In the land of the brain, where the eloquent areas are as delicate as a snowflake on Christmas Eve, these skilled artisans face a challenge as daunting as delivering presents to all the children of the world in one night.
With the jingle of bells and the twinkle of lights, let’s talk about the wondrous sleigh of technology they ride: extended reality, a sack full of both virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality tools, as shiny and promising as a new bicycle under the tree. VR, my dear friends, is like the North Pole itself—a completely new world, where everything is digital and the reindeer are made of code.
Then there’s augmented reality (AR), a clever little elf that uses software and hardware to sprinkle digital elements into our very real world, making the experience as delightful as hot cocoa by the fireplace. And let’s not forget mixed reality, the newest reindeer in the stable, which blends VR and AR to project virtual objects into the real world, letting surgeons interact with them as if they were toys on Santa’s workbench.
Our story unfolds over 23.5 years, from January 2000 to June 2023, where a systematic literature review—much like checking the list twice—was conducted. Out of 584 published studies, like so many letters to Santa, only 21 made it onto the nice list, meeting all the criteria to join the festive review.
These chosen scrolls were fully analyzed, with a keen eye on how AR and VR have been used for surgical planning and even during the operation itself, like a guiding star on a silent night. The increasing use of these innovative technologies has completely changed the approach to lesions, using 3D visualization to foster a better understanding of their anatomical and vascular characteristics, much like how Rudolph’s red nose illuminates the path through the fog.
So there you have it, my merry friends—a narrative as clear as the jingle of sleigh bells, telling the tale of how extended reality is leading the way in neurosurgery, just as surely as I lead my reindeer through the wintry night sky. 🎅🎄