Augmented reality (AR) and fracture mapping model on middle-aged femoral neck fracture: A proof-of-concept towards interactive visualization

Abstract

A thorough understanding of the fracture characteristics can assist the decision-making process for surgery. This study aimed to characterize the femoral neck fractures among middle-aged patients and illustrated a biomedical visualization method using a fracture mapping model and augmented reality. We collected plain radiography and computed tomography (CT) data from 156 adult patients with a femoral neck fracture. The descriptive study showed that Type I and Type II fractures accounted for 8 (5%) and 64 (41%) cases. In comparison, Type IV fractures accounted for 44 (28%) and 40 (25%) cases according to the Garden classification. Comminuted fractures and cortical defects were identified in 14.74% and 29.49% of the cases. A fracture mapping model was reconstructed based on the CT data and demonstrated the location and distribution of the major fracture lines surrounding the head-neck junction. We also illustrated the application of augmented reality technology to visualize and interact with the patient-specific fracture model and the fracture mapping model that facilitated education, training, and surgical planning. Future studies may consider mapping other biomechanical data, such as joint loading and stress distribution, and exploring artificial intelligence via deep reinforcement learning for computer-aided fracture reduction and procedure planning.