Potential Contribution of Extended Reality to Safety in Minimally Invasive Hepatectomy: A Comparative Study of Laparoscopic and Robotic Approaches

Background: Minimally invasive liver surgery requires a precise understanding of the complex liver anatomy. Extended reality (XR) technologies, including virtual reality and mixed reality, offer promising solutions for enhancing preoperative planning and intraoperative guidance. This study investigated the effectiveness of XR technology in minimally invasive hepatectomy and compared the outcomes of laparoscopic and robotic approaches. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 102 patients who underwent minimally invasive hepatectomy. Patients were categorized into XR-assisted (n = 47) and without XR (n = 55) groups. Results: The XR group had significantly higher IWATE difficulty scores and a greater proportion of anatomical resections. Nevertheless, the estimated blood loss and incidence of severe complications did not differ between the XR and non-XR groups. Subgroup analyses of the robotic and laparoscopic procedures showed similar trends in safety outcomes. Conclusions: The potential of XR to enhance anatomical understanding suggests its valuable role in improving surgical quality and safety.