Abstract
Background:
Epidural anesthesia is widely used due to its analgesic effect. However, the catheter insertion technique requires a high degree of skill. Recently, mixed reality (MR) technology has gained attention for its applications in medicine, where it is anticipated to improve outcomes and assist in training anesthesiologists. Using this technology, we developed a new approach for three-dimensional (3D) visualization of a patient’s spine.
Case Presentation:
A patient, who had previously been deemed difficult to place an epidural catheter, was successfully administered epidural anesthesia by an anesthesiologist, before acquiring a specialty, after 3D visualization of the patient’s spine using MR technology. Three minutes and eight seconds were required to use the MR technology, and 10 minutes and 54 seconds were required for the placement of the catheter.
Conclusions:
This case report suggests that MR technology using a 3D model of the patient's spine could enhance the success rate and safety of epidural anesthesia technique. To our knowledge, no other study has used MR technology to project a patient’s spine for epidural anesthesia, and we believe that our study is the first to do so. Its potential role in anesthesiologist training and its clinical applications warrant further investigation.