When Apple launched the Apple Vision Pro early this year, it made waves across the world for several use cases. Now, Vision Pro enters the operation room! The Apple Vision Pro headset is being tested in operating rooms by surgeons at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), which is an innovative idea that will increase productivity and reduce surgeon fatigue. Leading this effort has been Santiago Horgan, head of UCSD’s Centre for the Future of Surgery. He oversaw the first paraesophageal hernia operation performed with the headset in September 2024. Since then, the Apple Vision Pro has been used in more than 20 minimally invasive surgeries, such as those for obesity and acid reflux.
During laparoscopic procedures, physicians frequently operate on patients while watching a monitor to direct their movements. The difficulty comes in coordinating accurate movements while handling several visual inputs at once, including heart rate monitors, CT scans, and laparoscopic camera feeds. Because of the unusual stance, many surgeons experience physical discomfort, some are even considering early retirement reported by Time.
Apple Vision Pro Role In Surgery
This problem is resolved with the Apple Vision Pro headset, which allows surgeons to see vital signs and laparoscopic images within their field of vision, removing the need to continuously turn their heads away from the patient. Horgan and his colleagues discovered that the Vision Pro provided a high degree of functionality and resolution, enhancing operating room comfort and precision.
Although Apple’s Vision Pro, which was made available to the public in February 2024, costs $3,499 and is regarded as expensive by the general public, the medical community finds it to be cost-effective. According to Christopher Longhurst, chief clinical and innovation officer at UCSD Health, the headset is a desirable alternative for smaller hospitals because its price is minimal when compared to the $20,000 to $30,000 monitors typically found in operating rooms.
Mixed Reality’s Future in Medicine
Although augmented reality (AR) systems for medical applications are being developed by other companies like Augmedics and Vuzix, Horgan thinks the Apple Vision Pro is particularly promising due to its adaptability. Surgeons intend to increase its use in a variety of medical applications by integrating it with different video sources.
According to Longhurst, mixed reality technology will soon be a commonplace instrument in operating rooms across the globe, transforming patient care and prolonging the careers of surgeons.
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