This week, the ever-growing XR healthcare market had another success story: at the Institute for Neurological Sciences in Glasgow, surgeons leveraged mixed reality technology to assist with spinal surgery.
Mohamed Abdelsadg, a Consultant Neurosurgeon and Complex Spine Surgeon at the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, led the surgery, which marked the first MR spinal surgery in the UK and the third in the world.
The procedure occurred earlier this month in collaboration with healthcare immersive solutions firm Brainlab, leveraging the bespoke Spine Mixed Reality Navigation programme for the ground-breaking surgery.
Abdelsadg added:
The result is we are effectively able to see inside a patient’s body while we are performing the operation. This means the surgery is much more accurate, is much less invasive, and minimises surgical damage to other tissue. We already do a lot of minimally invasive work using an earlier Brainlab system, so we were familiar with the set-up and this felt more like a software upgrade rather than a completely new system.
Brainlab’s solution leverages intraoperative X-rays of a patient to create an immersive visualisation of underlying spinal anatomy through an MR headset.
Therefore, Abdelsadg did not need to look away from his rapacious operation. Instead, he focused on the patient and the MR visualization instead of looking at a secondary screen.
75-year-old patient Carol Toal underwent the innovative surgery, explaining:
My leg is much better and though I still have some pain in my back I’m feeling really hopeful. Before the pain got too bad, I used to be really active, going swimming, taking lots of holidays with my husband Robert and spending time with our six grandchildren, so I’m really looking forward to being able to do more in future.
With the operation a resounding success, the Brainlab solution will be further integrated into similar procedures. ” The spinal neurosurgeons arranged for three days’ training in the Institute’s Teasdale simulation suite, which allowed us to familiarise ourselves with the kit,” Abdelsadg remarked.
Abdelsadg also added:
This meant the technical part of the operation went well. Our early experience was certainly positive, and we all feel this system has real potential to build on the advanced neurosurgical work we do at the Institute.
Reflecting on the XR operation, Toal stated, “The surgeon and his team really have been lifesavers for me.”
NHS Continues XR legacy
The Institute for Neurological Sciences in Glasgow case study comes as the NHS drives the use of XR within its nationwide healthcare spaces. Susan Groom, Director of Regional Services at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, explained that “the Institute for Neurological Sciences, and services across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, are always looking to embrace innovations that are shown to improve outcomes for our patients;” reflecting greater efforts nationwide.
Recently, the NHS piloted “Walking in the shoes of,” a virtual reality training tool that offered employees insights into the experiences of colleagues from minority ethnic backgrounds.
Prof Stephani Hatch, a professor of sociology and epidemiology at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London, described the VR training as an “incredibly creative” means of understanding staff experiences across the NHS.
Hatch added:
The VR allows for the user in some cases to experience discrimination, but also to be in a position to witness instances of discrimination too… and VR gave us an opportunity to use creative methodologies.
The VR training tool is based on 133 interview transcripts from NHS employees who shared their experiences with racism in the workplace. This feedback was collected as part of the Tides study, a project initiated by King’s College London researchers to uncover health inequalities resulting from discrimination.
In addition, NHS healthcare professionals in Suffolk and Essex are utilizing XR technology to enhance training outcomes. The NHS XR training program provides an upskilling experience that allows clinicians to understand patient perspectives better, thereby improving caregiving.
Various NHS professionals, including GPs, physiotherapists, paramedics, and physicians, can access this training solution to improve patient care practices. This initiative is spearheaded through collaboration with internal and external development teams, including Revolve Labs, the North East Essex Training Hub, and Eastern Education Group.
The service aims to create more engaging learning modules for patient care, moving away from traditional lecture hall methods.
A well-known healthcare professional, Dr Alex George, recently visited an NHS training facility at the University of Hertfordshire. There, student doctors and nurses use Meta Quest 3 hardware for training and upskilling.
Dr. George emphasized, “The more effective the training, the better the outcomes.” While he noted that MR technology cannot solve all the challenges currently facing the NHS, he believes it can have a sustainable positive impact on training and upskilling efforts.
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