Evaluation of a head-mounted display (HMD) in the performance of a simulated laparoscopic task

Background: Head-mounted display (HM) units are used in various industries, but they have been tried only recently in surgery. In this study, we evaluated whether a commercially available HMD would improve or impede a laparoscopic task-in this case, suturing. Methods: Six participants performed a total of 120 laparoscopic suture knots in an experimental model. The Olympus FMDO11 model with a two-dimensional image was used. The order of each task with or without the head display unit was random. The time to complete each knot was recorded, and the results were analyzed. Results: The display unit prolonged the suturing times of the subjets by 10% (p < 0.04). Conclusions: In this experimental model, the HMD we utilized did not appear to improve laparoscopic suturing. More developments, such as improved depth perception and better resolution, may increase its usefulness for laparoscopic tasks.