Utility of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in Spine Surgery: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Background Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) are emerging technologies that are starting to be translated into clinical practice. Limited data are available regarding these tools in use during live surgery of the spine. Our objective was to systematically collect, analyze, and interpret the existing data regarding AR, VR, and MR use in spine surgery on living people. Methods A systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) guidelines. The PubMed, PubMed Central, Cochrane Reviews, and Embase databases were searched. Combinations and variations of the phrases “augmented reality,” “virtual reality,” and spine surgery using both “AND” and “OR” configurations were used to find relevant studies. The references of the included reports from the systematic review were also screened for possible inclusion as a part of a manual review. The included studies were full-text publications written in English that had included any spine surgery on live persons with the use of VR or AR. Results A total of 1566 unique reports were found, and 15 full-text publications met the criteria for the present study. The total number of patients from all studies was 241, with a weighted average age of 50.37 years. Surgical procedures using AR, VR, and/or MR were diverse and spanned from simple discectomy to intradural spinal tumor resection. All patients experienced improvement in their symptoms present at clinical presentation. The highest complication rate reported in the studies was 6.1% and was for suboptimal pedicle screw placement. No complications led to clinical sequelae. Conclusions The systematically collected, analyzed, and interpreted data of existing peer-reviewed full-text articles showed favorable metrics regarding surgical efficacy, pedicle screw target accuracy, radiation exposure, clinical outcomes, and disability and pain for patients with spinal pathology treated with the help of AR, VR, and/or MR.