Surgeons at the Jiangsu People’s Hospital in Nanjing have successfully performed a lung operation while using mixed reality (MR) technology, which is said to be the first of its kind in the world.
The 56-year-old patient had been diagnosed with malignant lung tumours. In order to obtain a clear image of the lungs during surgery, Dr. Chen Liang and his team created a 3D model of the patient’s lesion and with the help of MR goggles, the doctors projected the 3D model of the lungs as a hologram.
Other organs adjacent to the lungs seemed almost “transparent” while the hologram hovered over the patient. This allowed the doctors to watch the 3D image of the tissues while simultaneously operating on the patient’s real lungs.
Mixed reality or “hybrid reality” is technology that combines virtual and real worlds together, creating an environment where virtual and physical objects may co-exist. The technology employs augmented reality, augmented virtual reality and immersive technology.
Going far beyond satisfying gamers and tech heads, technologies such as these are now proving to be of great use to the world, starting here in Nanjing, with healthcare.
