Doctors at SSG Hospital in Vadodara successfully used Augmented Reality (AR) technology with Meta VR headsets to plan and perform a breast cancer surgery on a 47-year-old woman. Doctors managed to remove the tumor from the patient’s breast with a 2 cm incision, SSG Hospital said in a statement.
“Since the patient had received chemotherapy and targeted treatment before the surgery, the lump in the breast could no longer be felt, which made it challenging to perform the breast-conserving surgery,” the hospital said.
In order to meticulously plan the procedure, the surgical team used Meta VR headsets to visualise a 3D model of the patient’s breast created by combining her CT and MRI scans. The model was projected directly onto the patient’s body in the operation theatre, allowing real-time visualisation of the tiny metal clip placed earlier in the tumor. The visualisation helped the surgeons plan and precisely mark the cut at the right spot, the hospital said.
“With this planning and technology-assisted guidance, the tumor was successfully removed through a small 2 cm cut…,” the release said.
Before the surgery, the patient and her relatives were shown the 3D model using the Meta VR headset, which helped her understand the procedure better and feel reassured about the process.
“This technology is still in its early stages, but it shows great promise in helping us plan surgeries more precisely and minimise recovery time,” said Dr Shivang Shukla, Consultant Surgical Oncologist, who performed the surgery along with his team including Dr Nisarg Shah, as well as technical collaborators from Jajal Medical, which provided the Meta VR headsets and imaging support.
The patient recovered well, was discharged within five days, and is undergoing further treatment under comprehensive care, the hospital said.
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Dr Ranjan Iyer, Superintendent, SSG Hospital, said, “SSG Hospital is committed to bringing the best of modern medicine to every patient. Our goal is to ensure that advanced treatments remain accessible and affordable. We provide complete cancer care under one roof — including screening, diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and rehabilitation.”
As October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dr Shukla emphasised on the importance of regular screening. “A mammogram every year after the age of 40 can help detect breast cancer early. Women with a family history of the disease should consult their oncologist for personalised screening advice,” he said.
