On Thursday, a medical procedure aimed to treat atrial septal defect (ASD) was performed at the University Hospital in Kraków using a new holographic imaging technology – HoloLens. A veritable breakthrough in medicine, it allows surgeons to see patients’ internal organs in real-time with the help of augmented reality.
The innovative procedure was performed by Prof. Dariusz Dudek along with the staff of the Haemodynamics and Angiography Laboratory of the 2nd Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Interventions. The surgeons were invited by Microsoft to participate in the Mixed Reality worldwide programme.
‘The HoloLens smartglasses are an integral part of the Mixed Reality programme. Through them, we are able to see both the patient and various additional information displayed in the form of holograms. For instance, we could see angiographs and structural images of the heart. It was just like being “inside” of the organs or looking at them through an opening in the chest’, Prof. Dudek explained.
Thanks to augmented reality, a doctor can go through every stage of a medical procedure before it even begins, as holograms can show the best way to approach the afflicted organ. They also allow to make sure that the selected method of treatment (such as a valve) is optimally suited to the patient’s needs and anatomy.
‘HoloLens gives us the ability to see organs in 3D. We could see the atrium as if it was just before our eyes, and plan in advance how to make the most efficient use of our medical equipment. The most important thing is that the device is operated by hand movements and voice commands, allowing us to “cut” the hologram into pieces and inspect them from any side we need’, Prof. Dudek added.
The technology is a breakthrough in health IT, facilitating diagnostics, planning, and treatment support. Around the world, it is already successfully used in architecture and engineering.
