A Hong Kong hospital is leveraging advanced mixed reality and 3D printing technologies to enhance the precision of orthopedic surgeries, ultimately benefiting patient treatment.
Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin has been implementing mixed-reality visualization techniques since last year, utilizing head-mounted displays that enable virtual objects to be superimposed onto the real world. This innovative approach has been employed in 50 cases involving bone and soft tissue tumors since its trial began in 2023.
The hospital anticipates applying this technology to 140 cases each year, focusing on issues like bone tumors, scoliosis (a type of spinal deformity), complex fractures, and other bone deformities. Dr. Wong Kwok-chuen, a consultant at the hospital’s department of orthopaedics and traumatology, explained, “We take the patient’s images and create a digital 3D model, which is integrated with the patient’s body … It’s like you can actually see through the patient’s skin and see what tissues are underneath.”
This technological advancement serves as a critical tool for surgeons, assisting them in planning and executing complex operations efficiently and accurately, thus enhancing the overall outcomes for patients.