UK Surgical Team Harnesses Apple Vision Pro For Spinal Surgeries

(RTTNews) - A surgical team at Cromwell Hospital in London utilized Apple's (AAPL) Vision Pro headset to perform two spinal surgeries.

Surgeons Fady Sedra and Syed Aftab led the surgery, but it was a scrub nurse who wore the $3,500 headset to assist them during the preparations of surgery and during the spinal procedures.

Vision Pro showed virtual screens in the operating room to help select tools and monitor progress during the surgery.

The software used in the surgery was developed by eXeX, a company that focuses on the development of AI-driven apps for surgeons.

"Working with eXeX to use the Apple Vision Pro has made a huge difference to the way we deliver care to our patients," said Aftab. "It's a real privilege to be the first team in the UK and Europe to use this software within surgery and I'm looking forward to seeing how this technology advances and the impact it can have across hospitals."

The tech giant had earlier claimed that Vision Pro could be the future of medical devices. The company stated in a press release that a medical technology company, Stryker, is developing an app named "myMako" exclusively for Vision Pro to help doctors in developing surgical plans for hip and knee replacements using 3D models and other tools.

"With the unique capabilities of visionOS, healthcare developers are creating new apps that were not previously possible, transforming areas such as clinical education, surgical planning, training, medical imaging, behavioral health, and more," Apple said.

The smartphone maker added that several medical companies and developers are harnessing Vision Pro to develop the healthcare sector, with the help of apps such as Fundamental Surgery, CollaboratOR 3D, and Complete HeartX.

According to a CNBC report, a virtual reality headset by Apple's rival, Meta Platforms (META), was utilized by doctors at Kettering Health Dayton in Ohio for a mock procedure in 2022. It has also been used by the doctors to practice surgeries before actual operations.