Uses of Virtual Reality In Plastic Surgery

The medical industry is no stranger to technology and has always been one of the first to accept and integrate breakthroughs to improve its operations.

The same can be said about Virtual Reality, a high-tech feature that, when implemented right, have the potential to streamline almost every facet of the industry. And when it comes to virtual reality and plastic surgery specifically, their merge can heavily advance the future of pre-surgical practices.

How VR and Plastic Surgery Work Together

With plastic surgery, professionals must go to great lengths to effectively explain to the patient the procedure they are about to have, especially in terms of post-op results.

Whether it is elective or out of necessity, plastic surgery is meant to change the physical characteristics of an individual, so it becomes incredibly important to give the patient and accurate depictions of what they will look like post-op, and VR can achieve this. But the technology could have benefits throughout all the stages of the procedures as well.

Here are the major uses of Virtual Reality in plastic surgery:

1. Medical Implant Training and Classes

Though VR, students and certified surgeons can practice and improve their skills by immersing themselves in virtual surgery. This can be used for pre-op preparation, where the surgeon can study the specific anatomy of the patient, make better decisions regarding implants as well as the course of treatment.

But it can also help those at the beginning of their career improve their skills long before they step into an operating room, dramatically enhancing their learning experience.

2. Lowering the Emergency Percentage Even Further

According to Dr. Sean Kelishadi, a board-certified Plastic Surgeon, though the field of plastic surgery already has some of the lowest emergencies, utilizing VR and AR can “further reduce the uncertainty and issues because of the planning, envisioning and experience they enable.”

Surgeons can better tailor all their decisions to the specific anatomy of their patients well before the surgery begins. This removes a lot of uncertainty from the process and allows doctors to be better prepared for the operation and make better recommendations for recovery.

3. Including Visual and Auditory Experiences

For students and those beginning their plastic surgery journey, learning about the look and feel of an operating room from a textbook alone is difficult. Through VR, students get a better understanding of what surgery is not just from the perspective of the operation itself, but the entire environment.

4. Enhanced Visualizations of Results

There are some exciting new applications of VR, especially if they also integrate additional tools to give patients better views of their surgery. The technologies are already used in breast augmentations to help the patient visualize results better. The programs are paired with a wearable bra and headset to allow the patient to see, and feel the changes post-op, and make adjustments if needed.

5. Improves the Understanding of the Procedure

VR can take the patient and their family through every stage of the procedure, allowing them to be completely informed. Thanks to the format, patients get a visual depiction of their surgery, expected results, as well as expected recovery.

Over to You

VR adoption greatly improves surgeon’s activity and increases patient satisfaction, but it can also lend a hand to implant manufacturers wanting to promote their products and services. If you are looking for assistance in this sense, Ghost Productions is the industry leader when it comes to medical VR applications.

Contact Ghost Productions for any of your virtual reality needs in the field of plastic surgery.

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