When Surgery meets the metaverse

Nowadays, the main field of development of surgery is no longer technical, but technological. Modern surgery is enhanced by technologies which aim to improve safety, effectiveness, training, outcomes. These technologies are increasingly dependent on digital interfaces with the aim of empowering human action. Simulation training, robotic assisted surgery, patient-specific 3D surgical planning and reconstruction, remote assistance, up to 3D printing of individualized models or tissues and augmented reality operative scene with holograms are just some of the extended reality (XR) possibilities that may influence our surgical activity. Actually, XR support is primarily for training or perioperative planning, but its impact can be even more decisive, not only in the treatment of individual cases, but in particular in the global dissemination of surgical knowledge and in the shared decision making.