title: Virtual reality based surgical assistance and training system for long duration space missions.
abstract: Access to medical care during long duration space missions is extremely important. Numerous unanticipated medical problems will need to be addressed promptly and efficiently. Although telemedicine provides a convenient tool for remote diagnosis and treatment, it is impractical due to the long delay between data transmission and reception to Earth. While a well-trained surgeon-internist-astronaut would be an essential addition to the crew, the vast number of potential medical problems necessitate instant access to computerized, skill-enhancing and diagnostic tools. A functional prototype of a virtual reality based surgical training and assistance tool was created at our center, using low-power, small, lightweight components that would be easy to transport on a space mission. The system consists of a tracked, head-mounted display, a computer system, and a number of tracked surgical instruments. The software provides a real-time surgical simulation system with integrated monitoring and information retrieval and a voice input/output subsystem. Initial medical content for the system has been created, comprising craniofacial, hand, inner ear, and general anatomy, as well as information on a number of surgical procedures and techniques. One surgical specialty in particular, microsurgery, was provided as a full simulation due to its long training requirements, significant impact on result due to experience, and likelihood for need. However, the system is easily adapted to realistically simulate a large number of other surgical procedures. By providing a general system for surgical simulation and assistance, the astronaut-surgeon can maintain their skills, acquire new specialty skills, and use tools for computer-based surgical planning and assistance to minimize overall crew and mission risk.
authors.affiliation: National Biocomputation Center, 701A Welch Road Suite 1128, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thonier
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stephanides
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schendel
mesh_terms: D000337:Aerospace Medicine / Q000193:education*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008838:Microcomputers; D012985:Software Design; D013026:Space Flight; D014584:User-Computer Interface