At Russia’s premier military medical facility, the N.N. Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital, neurosurgeons are already performing the surgeries of the future—by donning virtual reality (VR) headsets before the most complex procedures. This rapidly advancing technology, now being actively adopted by Russian medical teams, grants surgeons an almost superhuman ability: the power to “see through” tissue and guide instruments with pinpoint accuracy to their target. As colleagues in St. Petersburg have demonstrated, similar innovations are already making an impact in other fields, including oncology.
How “X-Ray Vision” Works in the Operating Room
As explained by Zairbek Aliyev, Senior Resident of the Neurosurgery Department, in an interview with Russia-24 TV channel, the breakthrough lies in the seamless fusion of a digital 3D model with the real patient on the operating table.
The process involves several key stages:
- High-Precision Scanning: Before surgery, the patient undergoes a CT scan, which is used to build a detailed 3D model of the surgical site—whether it’s the brain, spine, or another area.
- Digital Planning: Surgeons use specialized software to mark anatomical landmarks and create a virtual “surgical map,” meticulously planning every step of the intervention.
- Real-Time Overlay: In the operating room, these digital markers are projected directly onto the patient’s body using physical reference points.
- Surgery with Real-Time Guidance: Once the surgeon puts on the VR headset, they no longer see just the surface—they see the internal anatomy in real time. As Aliyev vividly described it, “The surgeon’s X-ray vision switches on.” They can watch their instruments move in relation to critical nerves, blood vessels, or tumors, enabling ultra-precise maneuvers.
Benefits for Both Patients and Surgeons
This immersive technology is transforming surgical practice, offering significant advantages:
|
Advantage
|
Impact
|
|---|---|
|
Unmatched Precision & Safety
|
Direct visualization of anatomy minimizes the risk of damaging healthy tissue or vital structures, reducing complications.
|
|
Optimized Preoperative Planning
|
Surgeons can rehearse the entire procedure virtually—refining their approach and selecting the best strategy before the first incision.
|
|
Shorter Procedure Times
|
Clear visualization of the target and optimal pathways allows faster execution, reducing anesthesia duration and patient stress.
|
|
Next-Generation Surgical Training
|
VR creates unprecedented educational opportunities, enabling trainees to observe and learn complex operations as if they were in the surgeon’s seat.
|
Russian Innovation on the Global Stage
Russian developers and clinicians aren’t merely adopting foreign technologies—they’re building world-class solutions of their own. A standout example is HLOIA, a homegrown software platform developed by oncologists in St. Petersburg. What makes HLOIA unique is its ability to let surgeons generate 3D surgical models directly from standard MRI or CT scans—without relying on designers or bioengineers, making advanced planning far more accessible.
Meanwhile, researchers at Bauman Moscow State Technical University are developing fully Russian-made “smart” surgical glasses. Another frontier is remote telementoring: experienced surgeons in other cities can now join operations in real time via VR, seeing exactly what’s happening in the operating room and providing live guidance—virtually pointing to anatomical structures as if they were standing beside the team.
Why This Matters for the Indian Business Community
Russia’s advances in medical VR present concrete opportunities for strategic collaboration with India:
- Co-Development and Localization: India’s strong IT sector is ideally positioned to partner with Russian medical tech teams. Joint efforts could adapt platforms like HLOIA to meet India’s regulatory frameworks, clinical workflows, and local healthcare needs.
- Investment in MedTech Innovation: Russian HealthTech startups developing VR hardware and surgical software represent compelling investment opportunities. The global medical VR market is projected to grow at 25–30% annually, with high demand for cost-effective, scalable solutions.
- Knowledge Exchange and Workforce Training: India’s vast medical ecosystem—with its large patient volumes and renowned clinical institutions—can leverage Russian VR training tools to upskill surgeons nationwide, especially in remote areas where access to expert mentorship is limited.
- Joint Production for Global Markets: Indo-Russian partnerships could lead to the co-manufacturing of affordable, high-quality VR surgical systems—first for domestic use, then for export across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
We at RIS3C note that integrating virtual and augmented reality into medicine is no longer a futuristic experiment—it’s our daily clinical reality, significantly improving the safety and quality of care. For Russia, this is a matter of technological sovereignty in a critical sector. For international partners, it’s a gateway to proven, effective, and cutting-edge medical solutions.
In summary, Russian medicine is not just embracing the future—it’s actively inventing it, offering the world tangible tools to save lives. For India, collaboration in this field represents a strategic opportunity to become a leader in the global movement toward digital, precision-driven healthcare.
