Effectiveness of 3D printed and mixed reality models in neurosurgical patient education: A systematic review

Neurosurgical patients often face psychological distress due to difficulty understanding their medical condition and treatment plan. Traditional educational tools like MRI or CT scans may not effectively convey this information. 3D-printed models and mixed reality (MR) devices have emerged as innovative tools to improve patient communication with physicians. This systematic review evaluates their effectiveness in neurosurgical patient education.

Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic literature search of PubMed/MEDLINE was conducted from inception to March 2024. Study eligibility was assessed using the PICOS framework in qualitative synthesis. Data on 3D printed and MR models for patient education in neurosurgery were extracted. Evidence quality was evaluated using OCEBM (Oxford Centre of Evidence Based Medicine) levels of evidence.

The search found 61 articles, with 17 meeting eligibility criteria. Most offered low-level evidence but consistently demonstrated that 3D-printed and MR models enhance patient understanding of diagnoses and treatment plans by improving visualization of neurosurgical pathologies and key anatomical structures.

Our systematic review highlights the potential of 3D-printed and MR models in patient education by improving visualization of pathologies and critical anatomical structures. However, further research is needed to standardize methodologies, validate their effectiveness and integrate these tools into clinical practice.