Military Clinical Strategist to International Health Investor.

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) is emerging as a groundbreaking tool in the treatment of congenital heart diseases. This innovative technology offers a transformative approach by creating immersive, interactive, and personalized environments for both patients and healthcare professionals. In the pediatric cardiology institute in Safra Children's hospital in Sheba Medical Center in Israel, VR is being utilized for patient education, pre-operative planning, and intraoperative guidance. Patients can explore 3D visualizations of their own hearts, gaining a better understanding of their condition and proposed treatments. Surgeons and medical teams benefit from VR simulations that enhance their surgical planning and decision-making processes observing complex cases and evaluating printed models. Furthermore, Augmented reality AR can be employed in the operating room for observing the rib cage and reviewing the patient anatomy. The 3D visualization program is led by the Engineering in Medicine (EiM) tech-lab which cooperates with different specialties in the hospital including plastic surgery, ENT, ObGyn and more. The most critical topic addressed by the lab, cooperating with engineers from the Israeli Institute of technology deals with registration of the holographic image on the real patient body allowing intra-operative guidance. (Presented at the 2008th Meeting, September 27, 2023).