Surgical informed consent traditionally involves a dialogue between surgeon and patient to convey the complexities of surgery and ensure patient understanding. However, studies reveal that less than 50% of patients adequately understand the procedure due to limited medical knowledge. Augmented reality (AR) offers a novel solution to improve patient comprehension, retention, and expectations. AR technology can transform a patient’s unique anatomy into an interactive 3D model, allowing visualization of specific pathologies and procedures during preoperative counseling. 

This study evaluates the effectiveness of AR-enhanced preoperative counseling compared to conventional methods for patients undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. It is a non-blinded, randomized clinical trial with two groups: a control group receiving standard counseling and a treatment group utilizing Medivis' AnatomyX and Surgical AR technologies. These AR tools will introduce normal anatomy, outline procedural steps, and present personalized 3D models based on patient imaging. 

Preoperative and postoperative surveys assess outcomes such as perioperative patient satisfaction, preoperative anxiety, confidence in the surgeon, postoperative pain levels, and knowledge retention. Collaborations with neurosurgeons, nurses, and physician assistants informed the study's design, ensuring integration into clinical workflows. A standardized checklist was created to ensure essential topics were consistently covered during preoperative counseling, along with a quiz to evaluate patient knowledge retention. REDCap was employed for remote postoperative surveys, and attending neurosurgeons were trained in AR applications for patient education.

The study was accepted on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06340672). So far, six eligible patients were contacted, with three consenting to participate. The results aim to demonstrate how AR enhances patient education, increasing satisfaction, reducing preoperative anxiety, and improving trust in the surgical team. This innovative approach provides a framework for integrating AR into routine clinical practice, ultimately aiming to improve the quality of surgical informed consent and patient outcomes while advancing the use of technology in healthcare.