A Virtual Reality for the Digital Surgeon

Virtual reality (VR) uptake and adoption is becoming increasingly popular, and its impact is more realized. VR is defined as the immersion of a user in a computer-generated environment. This concept was first popularized in the late nineteenth century and has since been adopted across all industries, including healthcare. This chapter explores VR as an emerging education strategy and a surgical support tool. In surgical education, VR offers the potential to standardize and improve both cognitive and technical skills, free of the demands of traditional clinical environments. In clinical practice, VR facilitates manipulation of patient-specific data to optimize preoperative planning and intraoperative support. The application of VR technology to healthcare is an endeavor uniquely positioned to succeed, and its impact, once realized, will be nothing short of revolutionary.