Levita® Magnetics Leads the Future of Surgery with Augmented Reality (AR) Headset-Enhanced Abdominal Surgery

News provided by

Mar 20, 2024, 12:00 ET

First clinical case integrating Magnetic Surgery®, machines and Meta Quest 3 AR technology redefines surgical standards

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Levita Magnetics today announced a significant breakthrough in surgical technology through its deployment of augmented reality (AR) in abdominal surgeries. This milestone, which took place in Santiago, Chile on March 11, combined the use of Levita's MARS™ system with the Meta Quest 3 Headset, enhancing surgical performance and representing a pivotal development in the medical field by paving the way for AI-enhanced digital surgery and global telesurgery.

Levita's AR Headset-Enhanced Abdominal Surgery

The integrative landmark surgeries were conducted by Dr. Alberto Rodriguez-Navarro, a seasoned surgeon and founder and CEO of Levita Magnetics. Dr. Rodriguez-Navarro used the MARS and AR technologies to perform a cholecystectomy, commonly known as gallbladder removal surgery – the most frequent abdominal surgery on a global scale. This surgery is also one of the first times the lead surgeon performed a surgery while wearing an AR headset.

"As a minimally invasive surgeon myself, I experienced firsthand all the limitations for performing optimal surgeries. As I couldn't find the surgical platform of my dreams, I decided to gather a team and build it, leading to the development of the first-of-its-kind, game-changing MARS system," said Dr. Rodriguez-Navarro.

Traditionally, abdominal surgery is recognized as a particularly challenging region of the body due to the dynamic nature of the environment and lack of fixed references. The MARS system alleviates these challenges and implementing AR technology reflects the company's ongoing commitment to leading surgical innovation and growth. The software the company developed to integrate its MARS system into the Meta Quest 3 headset can also be used in the Apple Vision Pro as well as any new AR headset, further democratizing access to the AR technology in the operating room.

Dr. Rodriguez-Navarro noted the significance of this development: "Levita continues to push the boundaries of technological innovation in the operating room, initially deploying our MARS system and now with the first-ever augmented reality abdominal surgery. By leveraging our MARS system with other technologies like AR, we can empower surgeons to perform more efficient procedures while improving visualization and ergonomic function."

The application of AR in abdominal surgery presents great potential, as it provides an enhanced view of the surgical field and the ability to provide real-time data to the surgeon. These facets have a profound impact on the future of healthcare and surgical methods, including telesurgery and other AI and robotics-driven solutions.

Since its launch, the company has continued to expand its capabilities and uses in Chile and in the United States with a track record of significant developments. For more information on the MARS surgery system, visit https://www.levita.com/.

About Levita
Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Levita Magnetics® was founded by innovator and surgeon Dr. Alberto Rodriguez-Navarro. Its technology is designed to advance minimally invasive surgery. Levita developed the Levita Magnetic Surgical System and MARS. The MARS system, that combines Magnetic Surgery and machines, brings the triple benefit: Less incisions for patients, better visualization and control for surgeons and better use of resources for health care providers. The MARS system is FDA cleared for commercialization in the US. The AR headset is not FDA cleared and not for sale in the US. For more information visit levita.com.

Media Contact
[email protected]

SOURCE Levita