Surgeons in Central Florida are using mixed reality in the operating room
ORLANDO, Fla. - Orlando Health is the first health system in Central Florida to use it.
It looks like a virtual video game, but it’s actually mixed reality for a real surgery.
"I could not even believe that we have this sort of technology. It’s so advanced," Dr. Sean McFadden, an Orthopedic Surgeon at Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute, said.
Dr. McFadden has been practicing medicine for 20 years, but this is a whole new experience. He’s using the technology for shoulder replacements in the operating room.
Dr. McFadden puts the headset on and sees a complete visual field of his patient. He pinches his fingers to adjust what he sees.
"I can move my desktop anywhere," he said. "I can place it right next to you and determine how much bone we’re going to place," he said.
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FILE IMAGE - Surgeons are pictured in the background in an operating room. (Photo by Fairfax Media via Getty Images via Getty Images)
In the past, the surgery plan used to be put up on a board in the operating room, but now with the use of the new technology, it’s right in front of the surgeons eyes.
"It really allows us to fine tune our surgery and allows us to have all access to all the information we’ve acquired on that patient real time during surgery so we can perform a patient’s surgery to the best of our ability," Dr. McFadden said.
Dr. McFadden started using the mixed reality technology at Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute in December. It’s one of only 13 sites in the country with the technology.
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Glenn Charron was one of Dr. McFadden’s first patients he used it on. Charron experienced shoulder pain for 10 years leading up to the surgery.
"It’s going to help me immensely. Just psychologically," Charron said.
"[I’m] very athletic. I like to golf. I like to hike. I like to do outdoor activities and it’s going to help a lot."
Patients don’t notice a difference in surgery, but Dr. McFadden said the mixed reality makes the surgery more accurate, meaning longer term benefits for the patient.
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