Abstract
Background3D reconstruction technology could revolutionise medicine. Within surgery, 3D reconstruction has a growing role in operative planning and procedures, surgical education and training as well as patient engagement. Whilst virtual and 3D printed models are already used in many surgical specialities, oesophagogastric surgery has been slow in their adoption. Therefore, the authors undertook a scoping review to clarify the current and future roles of 3D modelling in oesophagogastric surgery, highlighting gaps in the literature and implications for future research.MethodsA scoping review protocol was developed using a comprehensive search strategy based on internationally accepted guidelines and tailored for key databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Elsevier Scopus and ISI Web of Science). This is available through the Open Science Framework (osf.io/ta789) and was published in a peer-reviewed journal. Included studies underwent screening and full text review before inclusion. A thematic analysis was performed using pre-determined overarching themes: (i) surgical training and education, (ii) patient education and engagement, and (iii) operative planning and surgical practice. Where applicable, subthemes were generated.ResultsA total of 56 papers were included. Most research was low-grade with 88% (n = 49) of publications at or below level III evidence. No randomised control trials or systematic reviews were found. Most literature (86%, n = 48) explored 3D reconstruction within operative planning. These were divided into subthemes of pre-operative (77%, n = 43) and intra-operative guidance (9%, n = 5). Few papers reported on surgical training and education (14%, n = 8), and were evenly subcategorised into virtual reality simulation (7%, n = 4) and anatomical teaching (7%, n = 4). No studies utilising 3D modelling for patient engagement and education were found.ConclusionThe use of 3D reconstruction is in its infancy in oesophagogastric surgery. The quality of evidence is low and key themes, such as patient engagement and education, remain unexplored. Without high quality research evaluating the application and benefits of 3D modelling, oesophagogastric surgery may be left behind.
Highlights
Since three-dimensional (3D) anatomical models were first created from two-dimensional (2D) computational tomography (CT) images in 1979, 3D reconstruction has become increasingly common in medicine due to rapid technological advances [1–3]. 3D reconstructions have various applications, including the manufacture of 3D printed (3DP) models and Virtual Reality (VR) simulators [4, 5]
3D reconstruction has been used for operative planning, surgical training, and patient engagement (Fig. 1)
Creating VR simulators with realistic haptic and stereoscopic feedback has been shown to help junior surgeons develop their skills in a safe environment [8, 9]. 3D reconstructions, whether virtual or 3DP, enhance patient education when compared to standard imaging across a range of specialities
Summary
3D reconstruction has a growing role in operative planning and procedures, surgical education and training as well as patient engagement. Methods A scoping review protocol was developed using a comprehensive search strategy based on internationally accepted guidelines and tailored for key databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Elsevier Scopus and ISI Web of Science). 3D reconstruction has been used for operative planning, surgical training, and patient engagement (Fig. 1). Studies show that personalised 3D models help individuals gain greater insight into their disease and this improves shared decision-making [12]. It is likely 3D reconstruction will become commonplace in surgical practice and benefit both patients and clinicians
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