To evaluate the surgical outcomes and physical and mental functioning of patients undergoing AR-assisted spinal fusion and compare these outcomes with other navigation methods, specifically fluoroscope-assisted and robotic navigation.
Patient-reported outcomes indicated varying levels of physical and mental functioning post-surgery.
Surgical revision rates and complication rates were recorded, with specific percentages provided for clarity.
Interpretation:
The study suggests that AR technology may enhance surgical precision and patient outcomes, although further research is needed to confirm long-term benefits.
Limitations:
The study lacked a control group for direct comparison.
Recall bias may affect the accuracy of preoperative PROs due to retrospective data collection, particularly in self-reported measures.
Exclusion of cervical spine cases limits generalizability.
Conclusion:
AR-assisted spinal fusion shows promise in improving surgical outcomes, but further studies, particularly randomized controlled trials, are necessary to validate these findings and assess long-term impacts on patient quality of life.
