Augmented Reality simulator for laparoscopic cholecystectomy training

Augmented reality (AR) simulation, mixing the benefits of virtual and physical simulation, represents a step forward in surgical education. In preliminary studies, we demonstrated the possibility to correctly show AR information in case of deformations of the physical models thanks to the integration of electromagnetic (EM) tracking technologies into the simulation environment. In this paper, we describe an innovative AR simulator for laparoscopic cholecystectomy and in particular for the isolation of the cystic duct and artery, the most crucial phase of the intervention. The proposed simulator allows the AR visualization of these deformable tubular structures, which are covered by connective tissue and thus are difficult to identify. Moreover it provides an acoustic feedback as an alarm to the user in case of potential surgical errors.