Renowned spine surgeon Safdar N Khan has taken a pioneering step in the medical field by embracing augmented reality (AR) glasses to revolutionise precision in the operating room (OR).
Khan, one of the initial surgeons in the US to adopt this technology, is utilising AR glasses to attain an unparalleled view akin to X-ray vision during surgical procedures, specifically focusing on spinal surgeries.
These high-tech AR glasses allow him to visualise beneath the skin without incision.
This advanced imaging technology offers him 2D and 3D perspectives of the patient’s spine, enabling heightened accuracy and precision.
‘Accuracy is the number one tenet in spine surgery,’ Khan shared in a UC Davis Health bulletin, highlighting how augmented reality has propelled the field forward.
This innovation allows for smaller incisions, meticulous surgical planning and more efficient operations. Ultimately, it reduces surgical trauma and postoperative pain, expediting recovery times for patients, he said.
The significance of AR extends particularly to procedures involving spinal stabilisation devices, implants and screws.
Khan asserts that the technology holds immense potential across a spectrum of spinal conditions, including complex deformities, age-related degeneration, spinal trauma and tumour cases.
His journey into AR innovation stemmed from witnessing increasingly complex cases among patients. Dissatisfied with conventional intraoperative imaging tools, such as X-rays and CT scans, he recognised the need for innovative solutions.
The prospect of applying AR in the medical realm sparked his interest, seeing it as a transformative tool that resonates with the challenges of modern surgery.
Khan remarks that this is the next step in surgical innovation, requiring us to think creatively to address evolving challenges. He envisions AR as a boon for current surgical interventions and an ideal training aid for the next generation of surgeons, tapping into younger individuals’ familiarity with technology like video games, artificial intelligence and virtual reality.
Joining UC Davis Health as a professor of orthopaedic surgery and vice chair of surgical innovation, Khan brings more than a decade of expertise from esteemed institutions such as Ohio State University Wexner Medical Centre.
His illustrious career spans extensive research on disc regeneration, spinal fusion and functional outcomes post-spinal surgery, evidenced by his extensive publications and global research presentations.
His appointment at UC Davis Health marks a homecoming, having completed his residency there and initiated research.
Khan’s vision for UC Davis includes establishing an AR programme, harnessing the technology’s full potential to enhance patient outcomes, optimising surgical training and driving innovation in surgical technology.
His plans involve setting up an AR studio within UC Davis' Aggie Square, a burgeoning innovation hub in Sacramento.
He collaborates with industry partners to translate discoveries into practical spine and orthopaedic surgery applications, leveraging his experience in patents and start-up ventures.
‘My vision is to build an innovation incubator at UC Davis, utilising augmented reality to expedite patients’ recovery and return them to their desired quality of life,’ Khan said.
