Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2018 Mar 21;6(3):e1708.
doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000001708. eCollection 2018 Mar.

Demonstration of the Effectiveness of Augmented Reality Telesurgery in Complex Hand Reconstruction in Gaza

Max J Greenfield  1 , Joshua Luck  1 , Michael L Billingsley  1 , Richard Heyes  1 , Oliver J Smith  1 , Afshin Mosahebi  1 , Abu Khoussa  1 , Ghassan Abu-Sittah  1 , Nadine Hachach-Haram  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Demonstration of the Effectiveness of Augmented Reality Telesurgery in Complex Hand Reconstruction in Gaza

Max J Greenfield et al. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. .

Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) is defined as "a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on a user's view of the real world, thus providing a composite view."1 This case report describes how emerging AR telesurgery technologies may be used to facilitate international surgeon-surgeon collaboration and training. Here, we illustrate how a remote surgeon in Beirut, Lebanon, was able to offer assistance to a surgeon in Gaza, Palestine, during a complex hand reconstruction case following a bomb-blast injury in an 18-year-old male. We discuss the implications of AR technology on the future of global surgery and how it may be used to reduce structural inequities in access to safe surgical care.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The authors have no financial interest to declare in relation to the content of this article. The Article Processing Charge was paid for by University College London.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Remote surgeon in Beirut using a webcam to proctor their hand into the virtual surgical field. Here, they are using a pen to highlight important anatomical structures for the local surgeon in Gaza.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Augmented reality-enhanced image visible to the operating surgeon in Gaza. Note how the remote surgeon’s pen is an overlaid onto the birds-eye view of the surgical field.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Local surgeons in Gaza being guided remotely by assisting surgeon in Beirut.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Intraoperative image of the patient’s hand following release of palmar contracture and forearm flap insetting.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Oxford English Dictionary Online. Definition of “Augmented Reality.” Available at https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/augmented_reality. Accessed March 04, 2017.
    1. Glenn IC, Bruns NE, Hayek D, et al. Rural surgeons would embrace surgical telementoring for help with difficult cases and acquisition of new skills. Surg Endosc. 2017;31:1264–1268.. - PubMed
    1. Proximie Website. Showing HIPAA compliance. Available at http://www.proximie.com/. Accessed December 29, 2017.
    1. Meara JG, Leather AJM, Hagander L, et al. Global surgery 2030: evidence and solutions for achieving health, welfare, and economic development. Lancet. 2015386:569–624.. - PubMed
    1. Weiser TG, Regenbogen SE, Thompson KD, et al. An estimation of the global volume of surgery: a modelling strategy based on available data. Lancet. 2008;372:139–144.. - PubMed

Publication types