A virtual reality simulation of a novel way to illuminate the surgical field – A feasibility study on the use of automated lighting systems in the operating theatre

INTRODUCTION: Surgical lighting systems have to be re-adjusted manually during surgery by the medical personnel. While some authors suggest that interaction with a surgical lighting system in the operating room might be a distractor, others support the idea that manual interaction with the surgical lighting system is a hygiene problem as pathogens might be present on the handle. In any case, it seems desirable to develop a novel approach to surgical lighting that minimizes the need for manual interaction during a surgical procedure. METHODES: We investigated the effect of manual interaction with a classical surgical lighting system and simulated a proposed novel design of a surgical lighting system in a virtual reality environment with respect to performance accuracy as well as cognitive load (measured by electroencephalographical recordings). RESULTS: We found that manual interaction with the surgical lights has no effect on the quality of performance, yet for the price of a higher mental effort, possibly leading to faster fatigue of the medical personnel in the long run. DISCUSSION: Our proposed novel surgical lighting system negates the need for manual interaction and leads to a performance quality comparable to the classical lighting system, yet with less mental load for the surgical personnel.