Google Glass and Plastic Surgery?

Google Glass

Google Glass and plastic surgery? What is the connection? Google Glass may seem like a just another tech fad however, a recent article published in the official medical journal for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons points out that the operating room may be one of the places we can expect to see this gadget on a regular basis, in the very near future. So what is it exactly? Google Glass is a pair of high-tech computerized eyewear that contains a small screen on one side that displays digital information. These glasses also function as a camera, recording audio device and even video.

So how can this so-called “latest-fad” be considered an asset in the operating room? Since Google Glass is basically a wearable computer, it’s practical use to doctors becomes obvious. In fact, the journal paper, written by Dr. Christopher R. Davis and Lorne K. Rosenfield, discuss several possible uses. With Google Glass, doctors could pull up and instantly review medical records and patient images, such as X-rays or MRIs. Also, because the technology is hands free, it may help reduce the spread of infection, as it limits the need for doctors to handle any unnecessary items.

In their article, Drs. Davis and Rosenfield note that Google Glass records video from a first-person perspective, this kind of technology would make an invaluable teaching tool. Not only could it be used to train newer doctors on the proper procedures for a surgery, but it could also provide a way for doctors to play back surgeries they’ve performed and evaluate their own techniques and even engage in remote consultations.

Using voice commands, touch, or head position, Glass is a natural technological addition to the operating room. In their review, Drs. Davis and Rosenfield identify surgical procedures performed using Google Glass from multiple specialties. They also present Dr. Rosenfield’s experience in performing the first plastic surgery procedure with Glass, an eyelid surgery blepharoplasty performed in combination with a facelift procedure.

This experience illustrated some challenges for future refinement, including the limited resolution of the video camera, technical difficulties in streaming, and the need for the surgeon to keep the head in a fixed position. In subsequent procedures, Dr. Rosenfield fashioned a head-mounted extra-wide LED light to improve clarity for video viewers as well as for the surgeon.

Despite a few tweaks that need to be made, there are definite teaching benefits to the technology. As a result, it seems likely that Google Glass, or a very similar technology, will become commonplace in surgical settings within a few years. Far from being a passing fad, Glass technology may soon be helping surgeons to streamline surgery in a more efficient and accurate way.

According to Medical News Today Dr. Shah says; “I immediately thought Google Glass can transform how we perform surgery, with the immediate advantage of constantly keeping my eyes on my patient. I don’t have to constantly move my head up and down looking at an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or X-ray or a ‘before and after’ in my viewer.” “Another advantage is I can communicate directly from the operating room with a patient’s friends or family and tell them what’s going on.”

The wearable technology has a wide range of possible applications in plastic surgery, with the potential to enhance surgical training, medical documentation, and patient safety, according to a special paper in the March 2015 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

The article by Christopher R. Davis, MD, and ASPS Member Surgeon Lorne K. Rosenfield, MD, of Stanford University includes a report on the first plastic surgery procedure performed using “Glass.” Highlighting the possibilities and challenges of integrating the new technology into surgical practice and education, the researchers note, “Google Glass is an exciting technology, attracting global interest from multiple industries, professions, and individuals.” “The future of Glass in surgery is very promising and has the potential to make an empowering impact upon the contemporary plastic surgeon not only as a teaching tool for the observer, but for the surgeons themselves.”


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