Surgical navigation systems based on augmented reality technologies

Abstract: This study considers modern surgical navigation systems based on augmented reality technologies. Augmented reality glasses are used to construct holograms of the patient's organs from MRI and CT data, subsequently transmitted to the glasses. This, in addition to seeing the actual patient, the surgeon gains visualization inside the patient's body (bones, soft tissues, blood vessels, etc.). The solutions developed at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University allow reducing the invasiveness of the procedure and preserving healthy tissues. This also improves the navigation process, making it easier to estimate the location and size of the tumor to be removed. We describe the application of developed systems to different types of surgical operations (removal of a malignant brain tumor, removal of a cyst of the cervical spine). We consider the specifics of novel navigation systems designed for anesthesia, for endoscopic operations. Furthermore, we discuss the construction of novel visualization systems for ultrasound machines. Our findings indicate that the technologies proposed show potential for telemedicine.