For many years, surgical professionals needed to look away from external monitors to analyze exams during procedures. This practice required a sharp visual memory and often interrupted the concentration necessary for the operation.
Augmented reality (AR), an idea that emerged in the 1990s and has become better known recently, completely changes this scenario. Now, images such as CT scans and MRIs can be displayed directly in the surgeon’s field of view, functioning as an extra layer of data about the patient.
The use of this technology has increased rapidly. Data from consultancy Mordor Intelligence indicate that the global market for augmented reality in healthcare, valued at US$1.91 billion in 2026, is projected to reach US$6.13 billion by 2031, driven mainly by surgery planning.
Even with its advancement, augmented reality still presents challenges. Its implementation requires specific equipment, adequate training for the healthcare team and approval from regulatory bodies. Furthermore, failures in the alignment of virtual images with the patient’s real anatomy can affect the accuracy of the procedures.
Below, we will detail how the technology works, the types of surgeries that already use it, the benefits and possible risks that have been recorded by research and health institutions, in addition to developments in Brazil.
Understand how augmented reality works in medicine
Essentially, augmented reality offers a kind of “X-ray vision”, allowing the surgeon to view synchronized CT and MRI images directly on the patient in real time. This simplifies the location of important internal structures during the surgical procedure.
According to UC Davis Health, in the United States, the process begins before surgery, with imaging tests performed on the patient. Specific computer programs convert this data into three-dimensional models, which are then inserted into glasses with tracking sensors. These glasses can align images to the patient’s body instantly.
This way, the doctor can interact with the digital images without the need for physical contact. While the surgery is taking place, hand movements or direction of the gaze allow the projected image to be modified, enlarged or rotated.
In the text “Intraoperative wearable augmented reality for surgery”, which was published in the journal JAMA Surgery in July 2025, the researchers detail that the technology is separated into two modalities: video augmented reality, applied in laparoscopic surgeries, and optical, which uses headsets to add images over the user’s field of vision.
What is the distinction between augmented reality and virtual reality in medicine
The fundamental distinction between augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) lies in the type of environment with which the healthcare professional interacts. While AR superimposes digital information on the real scene, such as the patient’s body, VR creates an entirely digital environment, replacing the perception of the physical world.
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In this way, AR allows the surgeon to maintain attention on the patient and the operating room environment, receiving additional data in real time. On the other hand, virtual reality is commonly used in training sessions and simulations, and is not applied directly during surgical procedures.
Applications of augmented reality in surgical procedures
In surgical procedures, AR serves as an advanced holographic navigation system, offering high accuracy. Instead of performing surgery without a clear internal view or looking away from monitors, the doctor can see digital information displayed directly on the patient’s body.
Among the main applications registered by hospitals and educational institutions, the following stand out:
- Surgery planning: allows three-dimensional visualization of the patient’s anatomy before any incision.
- Navigation during the operation: superimposes exam images in real time directly on the patient’s body.
- Identification of vessels and nerves: makes it possible to locate structures not visible under the skin, eliminating the need for exploratory incisions.
- Orientation for implants: guarantees the exact positioning of screws and prostheses, with millimeter precision.
- Professional development: assists in training new doctors and explaining procedures to patients.
In a January 2018 study, researchers at Imperial College London employed Microsoft HoloLens headsets. They superimposed CT images on the legs of patients undergoing reconstructive surgery, which allowed them to visualize bones and blood vessels without the need for exploratory incisions.
In an innovative experiment conducted in March 2024, at Stanford Medicine, in the United States, cardiology specialist Alexander Perino used the Apple Vision Pro. During a cardiac ablation, he was able to consolidate information from up to eight monitors in the room onto a single display while positioning catheters in the patient.
The company Surglasses takes a similar approach: its Foresee-X system projects CT images directly onto the patient’s spine. This guides screw insertion, decreasing dependence on repeated X-ray exposure.
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Benefits and challenges of augmented reality in surgical interventions
Despite showing improvements in accuracy and safety, as indicated in clinical studies, the full implementation of augmented reality demands attention. It is crucial to consider technical limitations and operational obstacles before expanding the technology.
Advantages of technology
- Increased precision when installing implants: the xvision system, from Augmedics, achieves accuracy rates of 97% to 100% when placing screws in the spine, according to an analysis published in 2025 by Cureus Journal of Medical Science.
- Decreased radiation exposure: eliminates the need for recurring intraoperative exams.
- Reduced surgical preparation and navigation time: according to reports from hospitals in Brazil.
- Resource for medical education: allows training of residents without exposing real patients to danger.
Challenges and risks involved
- High cost in purchasing, maintaining and updating devices.
- Adaptation period for the medical team to get used to the new working method.
- Possibility of misalignment between the projected digital image and the patient’s physical anatomy.
- Requirement for approval of each program and navigation system by bodies such as the FDA and Anvisa.
These factors explain why the adoption of technology progresses progressively. Typically, healthcare institutions start with orthopedic interventions, which are less complicated, before extending their application to more delicate procedures, such as neurology and cardiology.
Augmented reality in hospitals in Brazil
A significant milestone for the first surgeries with augmented and mixed reality in Brazil took place in 2024. In May, the Sírio-Libanês Hospital, in Brasília, was a pioneer by carrying out the first national operation using three-dimensional data projected on mixed reality glasses, to extract a lung tumor.
In August 2024, a group of doctors from Faculdade Presbiteriana Mackenzie Rio performed the first orthopedic procedure with RA in the country. They repaired a meniscus tear in a patient’s knee.
In October 2024, a public hospital located in Feira de Santana, Bahia, performed the first neurosurgery in Brazil using Apple Vision Pro, a system that combines AR and VR elements, within the Unified Health System (SUS).
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The technology has also made progress in large medical centers. In September 2025, Santa Casa de São Paulo began using augmented reality glasses with artificial intelligence for spine and skull surgeries and orthopedic procedures.
Soon after, in November 2025, Hospital São Luiz São Caetano, part of Rede D’Or, applied the resource to implant a knee prosthesis in a hemophiliac patient, a condition that increases the possibility of hemorrhages.
Future perspectives of augmented reality in surgeries
The future of augmented reality in surgical interventions points to three directions that are already consolidated: lighter viewing devices, greater integration with artificial intelligence and the expansion of operations assisted remotely by specialized professionals.
Among these trends, the combination with artificial intelligence stands out as the most promising. Hospitals are already evaluating algorithms that can examine patient data during surgery and warn about potential risks before they become complications, a functionality that goes beyond simply projecting images onto the surgical field.
The same idea of anticipating problems and intervening remotely supports collaborative surgery. With AR equipment, a specialist can guide, in real time, a procedure that is being carried out in a different nation, eliminating the need to travel to the hospital.
A practical example of this happened in 2024, when an orthopedic surgery at Dona Helena Hospital, in Joinville, Santa Catarina, received remote support from a doctor located in South Africa.
In Brazil, the expectation for 2026 is that this integration will expand to areas such as cardiology, neurology and radiology. The continued priority will be safety and clinical responsibility in implementing these new tools.
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Augmented reality in surgeries, in fact, has already consolidated itself beyond a promise. Hospitals in the United States, the United Kingdom and Brazil are already applying the technology to guide implants, identify blood vessels and reduce radiation exposure in complex interventions.
However, the high value of the equipment and the training required still mean that this resource is restricted to centers of excellence. The main question is no longer about the effectiveness of the technology, but rather about access to it and when it will become more widespread.
The next big change in medicine could be within sight. The question is: would you feel comfortable being operated on by a doctor wearing an augmented reality headset?