Context

Virtual Reality (VR) technology allows realistic simulation of complex procedures. Increasingly, VR is being seen as a valuable tool in the medical community: the simulation of surgery operations can help surgeons to get the necessary training before they apply their skill on real humans. This visualisation is also useful to show patients the anticipated operation procedure and reduce the fear of the unknown.

Leeds Met Work

In collaboration with Pinderfields Hospital (Wakefield) and Huddersfield University, Leeds Met has developed a game for medical visualisation of a hand surgery procedures.

The purpose of this game was to give children which have to undergo hand surgery a better understanding of the upcoming procedure and hereby reduce their anxiety and fear.

A study was performed in which this multimedia tool was given to patients to educate them about the upcoming procedure. This study confirmed that with such a tool, the fear of children of such an invasive surgigal operation could be reduced. The study also confirmed that the patients remained more educated about the procedure than they would bave been by oral consultation alone.

Model of hand, with physiologically correct bone structure for correct motion degrees of freedom.

Rendition of hand with realistic skin texture.

Opening in skin, showing invasive surgery details.

More Information:

S.J. Southern, N. Shamsian, S. Wilkinson (2005). "Real hand© - A 3-dimensional interactive web-based hand model - what is the role in patient education?" XLIe Congrès national de la Société Française de Fhirurgie de la Fain, Paris (France), 15.-17. December 2005.

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