As surgeons in other countries get a chance to work with the Apple Vision Pro, they are seeing it as a revolutionary tool — and a big improvement on previous headsets.
Following examples in the US of the Apple Vision Pro being used in surgeries, a new example has come to light from Brazil. The headset was used in a shoulder arthroscopy procedure dealing with a rupture of the rotator cuff.
The operation, reported on by MacMagazine, was performed in Jaragu do Sul in Santo Domingo. Dr. Bruno Gobbato and his team typically peform this type of operation looking at a screen anyway, using a camera inserted into the injured area.
Gobbato had previously used Microsoft’s HoloLens to perform such surgeries. However, the cameras in the Apple Vision Pro had a much higher resolution and better handling of the bright lights focused on the patient’s shoulder.
“Shoulder arthroscopy surgery uses a camera inside the joint and surgeons perform it by looking directly at a screen,” Dr. Gobbato said. “With this device, I was able to see the image on the size of a movie screen with high resolution, as well as being able to see the patient’s exams and 3D models in real time.”
He has posted a video of the surgery on YouTube, with the procedure highly sped-up to demonstrate the perspective of a surgeon using the Apple Vision Pro. Gobbato was able to clearly see his notes, the patient’s x-rays, and the live camera all at the same time.
Also employed during the surgery was an app called MyMako. It’s a 3D program that allows doctors to create models of what they will be doing in the surgery beforehand, and have those models in 3D available to them during the actual procedure.
Despite being used for surgeries previously in the UK, and now Brazil, the Apple Vision Pro is currently only purchasable in the US. Availability in other countries, likely including China, is expected to be announced soon.
