Background: Promoting a disruptive innovation in microsurgery, exoscopes promise alleviation of physical strain and improved image quality through digital visualization during microneurosurgical interventions. This study investigates the impact of a novel 3D4k hybrid exoscope (i.e., combining digital and optical visualization) on surgical performance and team workflow in preclinical and clinical neurosurgical settings.
Methods: A pre-clinical workshop setting has been developed to assess usability and implementability through skill-based scenarios (neurosurgical participants n = 12). An intraoperative exploration in head and spine surgery (n = 9) and a randomized clinical study comparing ocular and monitor mode in supratentorial brain tumor cases (n = 20) followed within 12 months. Setup, procedure, case characteristics, surgical performance, and user experience have been analyzed for both ocular group (OG) and monitor group (MG).
Results: Brain tumor cases using frontal, frontoparietal, or temporal approaches have been identified as favorable use cases for introducing exoscopic neurosurgery. Mean monitor distance and angle were 180 cm and 10°. Surgical ergonomics when sitting improved significantly in MG compared with OG (P = .03). Hand-eye coordination required familiarization in MG. Preclinical data showed a positive correlation between lateral camera inclination and impact on hand-eye coordination (rs = 0.756, P = .01). There was no significant added surgical time in MG. Image quality in current generation 3D4k monitors has been rated inferior to optic visualization yet awaits updates.
Conclusions: The hybrid exoscopic device can be integrated into established neurosurgical workflows. Currently, exoscopic interventions seem most suited for cranial tumor surgery in lesions that are not deep-seated. Ergonomics improve in monitor mode compared to conventional microsurgery.
Keywords: Brain tumor; Digital innovation; Exoscope; Intraoperative visualization; Technology evaluation.