Anatomy & Physiology: Current Research
Open Access

Abstract

Virtual and Augmented Reality Applications in Medicine and Surgery-The Fantastic Voyage is here

Wayne L Monsky, Ryan James, Stephen S Seslar

Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Head Mounted Displays (HMDs) are revolutionizing the way we view and interact with the world, affecting nearly every industry. These technologies are allowing 3D immersive display and understanding of anatomy never before possible. Medical applications are wide-reaching and affect every facet of medical care from learning gross anatomy and surgical technique to patient-specific pre-procedural planning and intra-operative guidance, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in rehabilitation, pain management, and psychology. The FDA is beginning to approve these approaches for clinical use. In this review article, we summarize the application of VR and AR in clinical medicine. The history, current utility and future applications of these technologies are described.

Published Date: 2019-02-15; Received Date: 2019-01-09