Realize Medical
Research Library · Independent literature review

Thoracic: How often does VR change the surgical plan?

7 Thoracic studies in the library address this question.

Thoracic: How often the plan changesBar chart. Thoracic: How often the plan changes. Comparative or prospective studies 2, Case reports & technical 5.RESEARCH LIBRARY · INDEPENDENT LITERATURE REVIEWThoracic: How often the plan changes7 studies in the library, by study designComparative or prospecti…2Case reports & technical5Positive findingMixedDescriptiveNo significant differenceRealize Medical Research Library · 631 studies · updated 2026-10-03

What the studies report

  • Positive finding
    “Surgical planning differed significantly, with VR prompting more lobectomy recommendations (57 % vs. 50 %, p = 0.046).”

    Zalepugas 2025 · Comparative study · n: 14 patients

  • Positive finding
    “After supplemental VR visualization, the surgical plan was adjusted in 52%”

    Bakhuis 2023 · Prospective cohort · n: 50 patients

  • Positive finding
    “Trocar positioning also had benefit from the preoperative VR HMD study in all cases.”

    Pelizzo 2022 · Case series

  • Positive finding
    “After revision of the CT scan with holographic 3D reconstruction, endoscopic closure of the fistula with an Amplatzer device (AGA Medical, Plymouth, Minnesota, USA) was planned through a combined bronchoscopic, oesophagoscopic and fluoroscopic approach.”

    Siboni 2022 · Case report · n: 1 patient

How strong is the evidence?

Of 7 studies with a finding on this question: 7 report a positive finding. These reflect what each study's authors report.

Study designs: 2 comparative or prospective studies and 5 case reports, case series and technical reports.

All 7 studies

The potential of Real-Time rendered-volume 3D Imaging in immersive virtual-reality (VR) for surgical planning in infants with congenital thoracic malformation (CTM) #

Zalepugas D et al. · Computational and structural biotechnology journal · 2025

Thoracic · Comparative study · n: 14 patients

Positive finding
“Surgical planning differed significantly, with VR prompting more lobectomy recommendations (57 % vs. 50 %, p = 0.046).”

p = 0.046

DOIPubMedFree full text

Essential Surgical Plan Modifications After Virtual Reality Planning in 50 Consecutive Segmentectomies #

Bakhuis W et al. · The Annals of thoracic surgery · 2023

Thoracic · Prospective cohort · n: 50 patients

Positive finding
“After supplemental VR visualization, the surgical plan was adjusted in 52%”

52%

DOIPubMedFree full text

Developing Virtual Reality Head Mounted Display (HMD) Set-Up for Thoracoscopic Surgery of Complex Congenital Lung MalFormations in Children #

Pelizzo G et al. · Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022

Thoracic · Case series

Positive finding
“Trocar positioning also had benefit from the preoperative VR HMD study in all cases.”

DOIPubMedFree full text

Tailored endoscopic treatment of tracheo-oesophageal fistula using preoperative holographic assessment and a cardiac septal occluder #

Siboni S et al. · BMJ case reports · 2022

Thoracic · Case report · n: 1 patient

Positive finding
“After revision of the CT scan with holographic 3D reconstruction, endoscopic closure of the fistula with an Amplatzer device (AGA Medical, Plymouth, Minnesota, USA) was planned through a combined bronchoscopic, oesophagoscopic and fluoroscopic approach.”

DOIPubMedFree full text

Removal of a foreign body by rigid bronchoscope after virtual reality-aided presurgical planning: A case report #

Torii A et al. · Respiratory medicine case reports · 2022

Thoracic · Case report · n: 1 patient

Positive finding
“Therefore, the planning for removal was changed to not only use gripping forceps but also to cut the granulation tissue and remove the metallic part.”

DOIPubMedFree full text

Preoperative visualization of congenital lung abnormalities: hybridizing artificial intelligence and virtual reality #

Bakhuis W et al. · European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery · 2022

Thoracic · Feasibility study · n: 5 patients

Positive finding
“If the patients would have been operated, adding the 3D VR tool to the preoperative workup would have resulted in changing the surgical strategy (i.e. lobectomy versus segmentectomy) in 4 cases.”

4 cases

DOIPubMedFree full text

Virtual reality and artificial intelligence for 3-dimensional planning of lung segmentectomies #

Sadeghi AH et al. · JTCVS techniques · 2021

Thoracic · Feasibility study · n: 10 patients

Positive finding
“In 40% of the cases, the surgical strategy was adjusted due to the 3-dimensional-VR-based evaluation of anatomy.”

40%

DOIPubMedFree full text

All thoracic studiesThis question across specialtiesBrowse the whole library

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.