Virtual Simulation for Scoliosis Surgery

Abstract

Virtual Reality is currently one of the most emerging innovative technologies, and over the last year we have seen how different sectors have successfully applied it ranging from the most industrial sectors to the education or medical sectors. The system presented in this article consists on a virtual simulation of a lumbar transpedicular fixation surgical operation, in order to achieve a fixation of three vertebral functional units. The user will be inside an operating room, in front of the patient, which in this case is a complete 3D model that includes musculature, complete skeleton, ligaments, veins, arteries ... The actions to be performed include selecting the right tool and subsequently its use, so that the user interacts with the system by moving his hands. The objective of this study is for the user to know the tools that should be used in this procedure and the steps that must be followed. In addition, virtual simulation merges with videos of real surgery, making this system a great tool for training in this type of surgery, demonstrating the potential of Virtual Reality as a useful technology for training. This system includes a theoretical part that shows all the steps and all the information to the user, and a practical part, in which you must interact with the system to perform each step of the procedure itself. This interactive virtual simulation has been developed by the company specialized in advanced systems of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality ARSOFT, in collaboration with members of the Research Groups of the University of Salamanca VisualMed Systems and GRIAL.