Traditional neuraxial anesthesia techniques, which rely on anatomical landmarks and operator’s memory of ultrasound images, often poorly account for anatomical variability and can lead to inefficient procedures with increased complications. We have developed an ultrasound-based guidance system, which displays a holographic projection of the ideal needle path in the user’s field of view using the Microsoft HoloLens mixed reality headset.
This technology was first piloted using a lumbar phantom model and then directly compared to traditional techniques in a randomized controlled trial of epidural insertion. Eighty-four patients were enrolled in the trial. The primary outcome of procedure time was significantly reduced in the HoloLens group relative to control (7.3min vs. 4.5min), as was the number of needle movements required (14.4 vs 7.2). Thus, this innovative, accessible technology has the potential to reduce patient morbidity and increase procedural efficiency, although further studi

Traditional neuraxial anesthesia techniques, which rely on anatomical landmarks and operator’s memory of ultrasound images, often poorly account for anatomical variability and can lead to inefficient procedures with increased complications. We have developed an ultrasound-based guidance system, which displays a holographic projection of the ideal needle path in the user’s field of view using the Microsoft HoloLens mixed reality headset.

This technology was first piloted using a lumbar phantom model and then directly compared to traditional techniques in a randomized controlled trial of epidural insertion. Eighty-four patients were enrolled in the trial. The primary outcome of procedure time was significantly reduced in the HoloLens group relative to control (7.3min vs. 4.5min), as was the number of needle movements required (14.4 vs 7.2). Thus, this innovative, accessible technology has the potential to reduce patient morbidity and increase procedural efficiency, although further studi