India’s First: Chennai Doctors Embrace the Apple Vision Pro for Surgery
May. 13, 2024There’s no doubt that the Apple Vision Pro is the tech world’s new baby, having released only back in February. In this short span of time, the revolutionary mixed-reality headset has seen a lot of ups and downs. The biggest up the headset has seen to date is its utility in the medical industry. Within a month of its release, reports of doctors from across the globe using it for surgeries started to surface. Now, from the looks of it, it’s India’s turn to use Vision Pro.
Back in March, London’s Cromwell Hospitalbecame the first hospitalin the UK and Europe to use the Vision Pro as a surgical aid tool. Surgeons Mr. Fady Sedra and Mr. Syed Aftab used an AI software called eXeX to carry outtwomicrosurgical spine surgeries.
Then, a month later, Dr. Bruno Gobbato from Brazil used it forshoulder arthroscopy surgery. In other words, he used the headset to operate on a patient with a tear in his shoulder rotator cuff. Dr. Gobatto even documented the process and took toYouTubeto give us a glimpse of the process.
Finally, Indian Doctors Use theVision-aryHeadset
Fast forward to May 9, India-based Dr. R Parthasarathy, the surgical gastroenterologist and COO at Chennai’s GEM Hospitalsused the Vision Proto assist with aroundnine laparoscopic procedures. His surgical team executed a series ofgastrointestinal proceduresusing the headset, addressingfistulas and herniasas well. In total, the doctor carried out over 30 such complex surgeries.
Dr Parthasarathy states that,
“The device allowed me to see the real world with superimposed virtual screens showing vital information. Instead of craning my neck to see the monitor during the surgery, I had the screen before my eyes. I could add the patient’s CT and even a medical textbook.”
While theVision Pro’s 600-gram bodyweightmay have been a cause of discomfort for many, doctors don’t seem to mind. Instead, Dr. Parthasarathy says that it actually reduces a surgeon’s burden and makes this easier.
This probably has to do with how they have it harder, having to look at and keep track of multiple things actively. The Vision Pro lets them see it all in their environment without having to move their head constantly. In addition, Dr. Parthasarathy says,
“We can use the device to FaceTime with experts and even teach medicine. The efficiency in teaching improves by up to 200 per cent.”
The doctor also stated that the standard practice is to utilize a single 55-inch 4K resolution display for surgical visuals when operating. Now, this setup requires two surgeons and the support staff to position themselves as such that everyone can view the monitor clearly.
However, with the Apple Vision Pro, doctors can easily view multiple things at once like the patient’s CT scans, MRI images, and other critical information right in theirenvironment, in real-time. This efficiency that the headset brings has allowed the GEM hospital doctors to use it for spine and eye surgeries as well.
Dr. C Palanivelu, founder of GEM Hospitals, said:
The headset has all the advanced features to become a necessary tool in operation theatres.
When looking at all these success stories of how the Vision Pro is helping save lives, I was instantly a lot more hopeful about the headset. While the headset has received quite the backlash for not bringing as much utility as the community expected, there’s no denying that it certainly does shine in such scenarios. This is the most advanced mixed reality headset money can buy right now, and its computing capabilities are incredible.
I could open as many tabs as I wanted in front of my very eyes without having to worry about the device giving up at some point. Of course, there’s probably a threshold somewhere underneath all thatspatialvoodoo, but I don’t think you’ll ever reach there unintentionally.
Moreover, you can’t oversee the availability of certain apps like Insight Heart (Download, free) for Vision Pro, which takes education to the next level. Those dreams of becoming a doctor don’t seem all that impossible with these apps joining hands with spatial technology.
It was this superior tab management that most doctors praised, which definitely makes viewing everything easier. Moreover, since theeye and hand trackingof the Vision Pro is top-tier, a simple pinch and swipe is enough to get you through all your tasks.
Yes, as a regular consumer, you will run out of things to do with it eventually, and that exorbitant $3,500 price tag (roughly Rs 2,92,413) won’t make sense. But, if you’re wearing an invisible cape and saving lives like these doctors, the device makes sense. Kudos to these doctors for doing what they’re doing. And, I certainly do hope that Vision Pro continues to aid in such endeavors.
Sagnik is a tech aficionado who can never say “no” to dipping his toes into unknown waters of tech or reviewing the latest gadgets. He is also a hardcore gamer, having played everything from Snake Xenzia to Dead Space Remake.
