Augmented Reality for Kidney Stones

Overseen By Jie Ying Wu, PhD

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Disqualifiers: Non-urology residents, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

10 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to develop an augmented reality tool to help surgeons better visualize and navigate during kidney stone surgeries. Using a device like the Microsoft HoloLens 2, surgical trainees can observe where expert surgeons focus their attention. This real-time guidance could enhance their skills and potentially reduce the need for repeat surgeries due to leftover stone fragments. The trial seeks urology residents at Vanderbilt University Medical Center to participate. As an unphased study, this trial offers participants the chance to contribute to innovative surgical training methods that could improve patient outcomes.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What prior data suggests that this augmented reality tool is safe for surgical training?

Research has shown that augmented reality (AR) systems could make kidney surgeries safer and more successful. Studies have found that AR provides surgeons with a clearer view of the kidney, helping them identify and avoid potential problems more easily.

Early results suggest that AR can also speed up surgeries by reducing the time needed to examine the kidney, potentially leading to fewer complications during the operation.

Regarding side effects, no specific data exists on serious issues from using AR in kidney surgeries. The AR technology tested in this trial aims to help trainees learn more effectively without adding significant risks. So far, AR appears to be a promising tool for improving surgical skills and patient safety. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about using augmented reality (AR) for kidney stones because it introduces a novel way to train medical professionals using cutting-edge technology. Unlike traditional methods that rely on direct observation and verbal instruction, the AR approach allows trainees to see the experts' gaze through devices like the HoloLens, providing a more immersive and precise learning experience. This method has the potential to enhance surgical precision and confidence, potentially leading to better patient outcomes.

What evidence suggests that this augmented reality tool is effective for improving endoscopic kidney stone surgery skills?

Research has shown that augmented reality (AR) can enhance surgical training and outcomes for kidney stone surgeries. In this trial, participants in the AR-guided arm will use a 3D mixed-reality system. Studies have shown that this system helps surgeons perform more accurate procedures by better guiding their instruments. As a result, surgeons can see and remove kidney stones more effectively, potentially reducing the need for additional surgeries. Another study demonstrated that AR provided visual guidance to surgical trainees, helping them learn skills more effectively during practice surgeries. These findings suggest that AR can make kidney stone surgeries safer and more successful by enhancing surgeons' skills. ^{1 4 6 7 8}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for surgeons in training who are learning endoscopic kidney stone surgery. It's designed to help them improve their skills by using augmented reality (AR) technology during operations. There's no specific mention of inclusion or exclusion criteria, so it may be open to any trainee surgeon looking to enhance their technique.

Inclusion Criteria

Urology residents at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Training and Evaluation

Surgical trainees and experts wear the HoloLens 2 to measure eye gaze data and receive visual guidance through a hologram showing the expert's gaze.

1-10 minutes per session

Multiple sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for skill acquisition and usability of the system using the NASA Task Load Index.

1-2 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Augmented Reality

Trial Overview The study is testing an AR tool that guides trainees during endoscopic kidney stone surgery using eye gaze data from experienced surgeons. The goal is to see if this real-time guidance can improve surgical outcomes and reduce the need for repeat surgeries due to residual stones.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: AR guided Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Trainees can see experts' gaze through the HoloLens

Group II: Non-AR guided Active Control 1 Intervention

Trainees cannot see experts' gaze through the HoloLens. This should be the standard of care control group.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

922

Recruited

939,000+

National Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)

Collaborator

Trials

102

Recruited

21,600+

Vanderbilt University

Collaborator

Trials

714

Recruited

6,143,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11982134/

Initial experience with augmented reality in planning renal ... This study aims to assess a novel technique for planning access to the renal collecting system using augmented reality (AR).

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11745848/

Effectiveness and safety of percutaneous nephrolithotomy ... The 3D mixed-reality system has been shown to enhance PCNL by increasing the accuracy of puncture and instrument navigation, reducing the ...

3. onlinelibrary.wiley.com onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/iju.70057?af=R

New Technology in Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy ... The mean size of the kidney stones was 23.06 mm, and the average surgery duration was 44.2 ± 5.6 min, with a trend toward shorter operations in ...

4. papers.miccai.org papers.miccai.org/miccai-2025/0357-Paper4731.html

From Sight to Skill: A Surgeon-Centered Augmented Reality ... A custom-built kidney phantom with artificial kidney stones was used in the study, where surgical trainees performed simulated ureteroscopies under expert ...

5. ui.adsabs.harvard.edu ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2017IRBE...10...78D/abstract

Virtual and Augmented Reality Systems for Renal ... Conclusion: Augmented and virtual reality systems have the potential to improve safety and outcomes of renal interventions. In the last ten years, many ...

6. link.springer.com link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00240-025-01730-3

Initial experience with augmented reality in planning renal ... This study aims to assess a novel technique for planning access to the renal collecting system using augmented reality (AR).

7. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28885161/

Virtual and Augmented Reality Systems for Renal ... Conclusion: Augmented and virtual reality systems have the potential to improve safety and outcomes of renal interventions. In the last ten years, many ...

8. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/surgery/articles/10.3389/fsurg.2023.1067275/full

Effect of augmented reality navigation technology on ... We found that AR navigation significantly reduced WIT, which may be due to the visual display of the renal mass and vessels, reducing intraoperative exploration ...