The library holds 26 Spine studies, published 2018–2026; 10 of them since 2024.
Study designs: 1 randomized trial, 2 comparative or prospective studies, 2 retrospective studies, 5 reviews and 16 case reports, case series and technical reports.
Quoted from the studies. Each question lists the studies that report on it.
Of 3 studies with a finding on this question: 3 report a positive finding. These reflect what each study's authors report.
“Postoperative survey results demonstrate a positive experience among surgical team members after reviewing preoperative plans created with patient-specific 3D VR models.”
Laskay 2024 · Case series · n: 3 patients
“The planning time was low and the surgeon's satisfaction was high regarding the practicality of its use and the result obtained.”
Ferràs-Tarragó 2022 · Case report · n: 1 patient
“This system was useful for cervical and lumbar decompression for confirming the proper decompression area preoperatively.”
Aoyama 2021 · Technical note
Of 5 studies with a finding on this question: 3 report a positive finding, 2 mixed. These reflect what each study's authors report.
“Furthermore, surgeons selected additional anatomical structures to be traversed to reach the tumor when using VR, leading to a more precise selection of surgical approaches.”
Nantenaina 2025 · Comparative study · n: 6 patients
“Preoperative VR planning significantly influenced surgical recommendations…”
McCloskey 2023 · Systematic review
“The 3D visualization of pathological conditions resulted in correct preoperative surgical planning and less invasive surgery in all five cases.”
Aoyama 2022 · Case series · n: 5 patients
Of 7 studies with a finding on this question: 7 report a positive finding. These reflect what each study's authors report.
“VR can be a promising tool for surgical planning by providing an immersive and interactive perspective that enhances understanding of anatomy.”
Nantenaina 2025 · Comparative study · n: 6 patients
“MR also facilitated preoperative surgical planning by improving anatomical understanding, particularly regarding the anatomy of asymmetric facets and screw trajectories.”
Rudrappa 2026 · Case report · n: 1 patient
“SC increases the familiarity of the patient's specific anatomy and enhances perioperative assessment.”
Elsayed 2023 · Case report · n: 1 patient
Of 6 studies with a finding on this question: 4 report a positive finding, 1 mixed, 1 descriptive. These reflect what each study's authors report.
“Several studies have suggested high levels of accuracy with their use.”
Rudrappa 2026 · Narrative review
“For 3 patient studies, AR-assisted pedicle screw placement accuracy ranged from 95.77% to 100% using the Gertzbein grading scale.”
McCloskey 2023 · Systematic review
“The AR method was non-inferior to the 2D desktop planner, with a mean error of 2.1 ± 1.4 mm.”
Pose-Díez-de-la-Lastra 2023 · Technical development
Of 6 studies with a finding on this question: 3 report a positive finding, 3 descriptive. These reflect what each study's authors report.
“Three-dimensional virtual reality-assisted surgical planning for neuronavigated sacrectomy in chordoma is useful, feasible and safe.”
Paun 2024 · Technical note · n: 1 patient
“Real-time communication between Microsoft HoloLens 2 and 3D Slicer is feasible and supports accurate planning for pedicle screw placement.”
Pose-Díez-de-la-Lastra 2023 · Technical development
“Integrating SpectoVR in daily presurgical planning is feasible and appears to enhance the surgeon’s awareness of the case.”
Croci 2020 · Case series · n: 8 patients
Zheng C et al. · World neurosurgery · 2019
Spine · Randomized controlled trial · n: 30 patients
“The use of virtual reality can predict a surgery-related angle and distance accurately except for depth.”
Nantenaina TNH et al. · International journal of computer assisted radiology and surgery · 2025
Spine · Comparative study · n: 6 patients
“Furthermore, surgeons selected additional anatomical structures to be traversed to reach the tumor when using VR, leading to a more precise selection of surgical approaches.”
De Salvatore S et al. · Neurospine · 2021
Spine · Comparative study · n: 60 patients
“The use of VR led to a significant decrease in operative time and bleeding while increasing the surgeon's satisfaction compared to the control group.”
Zawy Alsofy S et al. · Journal of neurological surgery. Part A, Central European neurosurgery · 2021
Spine · Retrospective cohort · n: 171 patients
“Image presentation using VR significantly influenced the recommended surgical therapies (decompression only/decompression and fusion; p = 0.02), had no significant influence on the recommended fusion method (rigid/dynamic/stand-alone; p = 0.77)”
p = 0.02
Zawy Alsofy S et al. · World neurosurgery · 2019
Spine · Retrospective cohort · n: 73 patients
“Reconstruction of pre- and postoperative 2D-CT images of the cervical spine into 3D images, and the spatial and anatomical reconstructions in VR models, can be helpful in planning surgical approaches and treatment strategies for patients with cervical foraminal stenoses”
Rudrappa S et al. · Indian Spine Journal · 2026
Spine · Narrative review
“Several studies have suggested high levels of accuracy with their use.”
Elsayed GA et al. · World neurosurgery · 2025
Spine · Narrative review
“However, challenges remain, particularly with respect to clinical validation, cost-effectiveness, and ethical considerations.”
Elsayed GA et al. · World neurosurgery · 2025
Spine · Narrative review
McCloskey K et al. · World neurosurgery · 2023
Spine · Systematic review
“Preoperative VR planning significantly influenced surgical recommendations…”
Ghaednia H et al. · The spine journal · 2021
Spine · Narrative review
Trandzhiev M et al. · Journal of neurological surgery. Part A, Central European neurosurgery · 2026
Spine · Technical development · n: 37 patient models
Abbas A et al. · Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons · 2026
Spine · Case report · n: 1 patient
“Complete tumor resection was achieved without neurological or vascular complications and without breach of the upper aerodigestive tract, with complete resolution of dysphagia and no recurrence at the 3-month follow-up.”
Rudrappa S et al. · International journal of spine surgery · 2026
Spine · Case report · n: 1 patient
“Using MR, the patient and family were counseled about the need for surgery.”
Rajendran R et al. · Surgical neurology international · 2025
Spine · Case report · n: 1 patient
Laskay NMB et al. · Operative neurosurgery (Hagerstown, Md.) · 2024
Spine · Case series · n: 3 patients
“Postoperative survey results demonstrate a positive experience among surgical team members after reviewing preoperative plans created with patient-specific 3D VR models.”
Paun L et al. · International orthopaedics · 2024
Spine · Technical note · n: 1 patient
“Three-dimensional virtual reality-assisted surgical planning for neuronavigated sacrectomy in chordoma is useful, feasible and safe.”
Pose-Díez-de-la-Lastra A et al. · International journal of computer assisted radiology and surgery · 2023
Spine · Technical development
“The AR method was non-inferior to the 2D desktop planner, with a mean error of 2.1 ± 1.4 mm.”
2.1 ± 1.4 mm
Elsayed GA et al. · Journal of craniovertebral junction & spine · 2023
Spine · Case report · n: 1 patient
“SC increases the familiarity of the patient's specific anatomy and enhances perioperative assessment.”
Ferràs-Tarragó J et al. · Revista Española de Cirugía Osteoarticular · 2022
Spine · Case report · n: 1 patient
“The planning time was low and the surgeon's satisfaction was high regarding the practicality of its use and the result obtained.”
Filimonov A et al. · American journal of otolaryngology · 2022
Spine · Case series · n: 5 patients
“Such models help in the development of safe surgical plans by predicting inferior and lateral planes of dissection and assisting in the identification of critical structures.”
Aoyama R et al. · Cureus · 2022
Spine · Case series · n: 5 patients
“The 3D visualization of pathological conditions resulted in correct preoperative surgical planning and less invasive surgery in all five cases.”
Aoyama R et al. · Spine surgery and related research · 2022
Spine · Technical note
“Without an HMD, the misidentification rate of the level was at 26.5%, while with it, the rate was reduced to 14.3%.”
14.3%
Zhang H et al. · Frontiers in surgery · 2022
Spine · Case report · n: 1 patient
“The 3-dimensional reconstruction and mixed reality (MR) technology based on computed tomography can provide spatial visualization, which allows surgeons to examine the teratoma at different angles preoperatively.”
Aoyama R et al. · Cureus · 2021
Spine · Technical note
“This system was useful for cervical and lumbar decompression for confirming the proper decompression area preoperatively.”
Croci DM et al. · BMJ Innovations · 2020
Spine · Case series · n: 8 patients
“Whereas VR did not omit the need for viewing the spine in the multiplane reconstruction mode, the authors feel that SpectoVR contributed to a better holistic understanding of the anatomy.”
Wu X et al. · Surgical Innovation · 2018
Spine · Letter (experience report)
Summarises published research on VR/AR surgical planning across all platforms. Not product labelling. For Elucis indications see /elucis.
Intended for healthcare professionals.
Summaries and quotes describe each study's methods and the findings its authors report. They are not claims by Realize Medical and may contain errors: please read the original paper. Inclusion is not an endorsement of any product or use.