In a spinal surgery at Cromwell Hospital London, a surgical assistant used the “Apple Vision Pro” augmented reality headset for the first time in England and described the experience as revolutionary.

Apple had previously emphasized the benefits of using the wearables Apple Vision Pro headset in the healthcare sector. Now, surgeons at Cromwell Hospital London have successfully performed a spinal surgery using the headset.

Contrary to some initial reports in British publications, the surgeons did not use the headset directly. The surgical assistant and scrub nurse named Suvi Varho used the headset to follow the procedure and prepare the necessary tools at the right time.

“This headset eliminates human error and guesswork in surgery,” Ms. Varho said at the independent London hospital. “Using it increases confidence during surgery.”

While the use of Apple Vision Pro was the first of its kind in a British surgical unit, Ms. Varho had previously experienced using the HoloLens 2 headset for a similar operation. In an interview with eXeX, a medical software company for virtual reality headsets, on LinkedIn, she said that headsets like HoloLens “make surgeries much more fun and enjoyable.”

Despite praising HoloLens 2 in 2023, Ms. Varho now describes Apple Vision Pro as a “game-changer” in the operating room. The team's surgeons also agree, believing that the technology allows new staff to benefit from the experiences of more experienced individuals.

“The main idea is that it no longer matters whether the person has been in the operating room before,” said Dr. Syed Aftab, the team's surgeon. “All they have to do is put on the headset.” He added: “It is common for a new and unknown scrub person to be added to the team. The headset gives them the ability to benefit from the 10 years of experience of more experienced individuals.”

Key Points:

Apple Vision Pro headset was used for the first time in a spinal surgery in England.
The headset was used by the surgical assistant to follow the procedure and prepare tools.
The headset is said to eliminate human error and increase confidence during surgery.
Surgeons believe the headset can help new staff benefit from experienced individuals.
Additional Notes:

The headset was used in conjunction with eXeX medical software.
The surgeons did not use the headset directly.
Ms. Varho had previously used the HoloLens 2 headset for a similar surgery.
Dr. Aftab believes the headset can help train new surgeons.
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