Extended Reality Applications in Plastic Surgery Residency: Why and Why Not

Abstract

Background

Early innovations are often disruptive but gain traction when the benefits become evident. EXtended Reality (XR) has recently gained momentum for surgical training. XR involves a head-mounted display (HMD) blending physical and digital worlds for enhanced visualization, communication, and understanding. To understand its potential impact, the receptiveness of plastic surgeons was assessed for its usefulness and usability.

Methods

Plastic surgeons watched XR interventions and completed a survey assessing applications for remote consultation, intra-operative education, and pre-operative planning. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and categorical inferential testing, with group differences assessed using Fisher’s exact test on dichotomized Likert responses.

Results

Eleven attending and ten resident physicians (21/44, 48%) responded to the survey. Attendings perceived greater usefulness of XR for virtual consultation than residents (91% vs 50%), with a near-significant trend (P = 0.056) and higher reported mean usefulness and usability scores. Residents more often anticipated need for technical support during virtual consultation (60% vs 27%). Both groups strongly endorsed XR for intra-operative education. Willingness to use and optimism were high among both groups. For pre-operative planning, both groups perceived XR as useful, though usability concerns were prominent, including moderate perceived complexity and anticipated need for technical support particularly among residents (89% vs 70%).

Conclusion

Attendings were more receptive than residents to integrating XR in plastic surgery training with residents reporting greater cognitive load. Residents valued improved intra-operative visibility and noted the Hawthorne effect. Selecting high-value, usable XR applications while minimizing trainee role stress is essential for advancing residency education.