Surgeons are embracing interactive 3D holograms of patients’ organs to enhance surgical precision and outcomes.
The cutting-edge surgical technology is revolutionising hospital procedures across Europe.
Spearheaded by HoloCare, a Norwegian firm, this innovative software is deployed in five hospitals, including Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in the UK.
The technology allows surgeons to plan and tailor operations according to each patient’s unique anatomy, significantly improving spatial awareness and surgical efficiency.
Utilising AI-powered headsets, surgeons can seamlessly navigate through 3D holographic representations of organs, facilitating collaborative decision-making and enhancing surgical accuracy.
‘This advancement puts everything into 3D, enabling surgeons to anticipate surgical challenges and outcomes with unprecedented clarity,’ explains Professor Peter Lodge, a consultant surgeon at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
‘The implications extend beyond liver surgery to various specialties, promising easier, more accurate, and faster procedures.’
The initial focus is refining complex liver resections, particularly in treating liver and bowel cancer.
The technology will initially be available to improve the quality of planning for complex liver surgery (liver resections), which is commonly used in the treatment of liver cancer (19% of UK treatments) and bowel cancer (26.1% of UK treatments).
However, the technology’s versatility suggests broader applications across different surgical domains, including heart, gynaecological, urological and colorectal surgeries.
Professor Peter Lodge, a consultant surgeon based at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and internationally renowned for his work in liver surgery, will be chairing a new clinical advisory board for HoloCare, an essential part of clinical regulation.
The team at Leeds will soon be training with the new technology and reporting the potential impact on patient care as part of a new evaluation.
He said: ‘We fully expect this exciting new advance to make decision-making for liver surgery and other liver cancer therapies easier, more accurate and faster. We look forward to helping HoloCare take liver radiology forward in a way we did not think possible until recently. We can see wide implications for all types of liver surgery and interventions, saving time and money in patient care.’
With UKCA and CE mark certifications in hand, HoloCare is set to expand its footprint, with plans to introduce the technology in 10 additional European hospitals in 2024.
The company’s commitment to clinical excellence is underscored by ongoing collaboration with leading institutions, such as Oslo University Hospital in Norway, to evaluate and enhance the technology’s efficacy.
To gain CE mark approval, HoloCare has completed clinical research in collaboration with Oslo University Hospital to assess the outcomes of its technology in a clinical setting. The results of this research will be published soon.
Professor Bjørn Edwin, section manager and professor at the Intervention Centre, Oslo University Hospital, where he specialises in liver and pancreas surgeries, has been using HoloCare’s software as part of the clinical research study: ‘As a surgeon specialising in minimally invasive surgery, HoloCare’s software has transformed the way I approach operations. I can zoom in on the intricacies of a patient’s anatomy to plan exactly how I will approach surgery in the most efficient (and least invasive) way. I’ve worked closely with HoloCare’s team to test the technology to its limits and have seen promising results.’
Alison Sundset, CEO of HoloCare, added: ‘This CE Mark is an important moment for HoloCare, signalling confidence (as well as compliance) in our solution and setting the scene for an exciting next chapter, as we look to scale across Europe – and ultimately beyond. I’m very proud to be partnering with incredible hospitals and research partners in our mission to advance medical imaging and improve patient outcomes in surgery.’
