ARtery 3D, an innovative way towards safer dermal filler treatments
A few years ago, I came across a scientific article describing a very rudimentary approach to visualise the blood vessels of a lower limb through augmented reality (AR) prior to a reconstructive procedure. Although the accuracy of the AR projection was not really evaluated, nor the sensitivity of the segmented blood vessels, this remarkable article truly was a breakthrough in the modern medical and surgical world. And it got me thinking, what if we could actually visualise anyone's individual anatomy through augmented reality ? The applications in surgery could be huge, both for reconstructive and aesthetic procedures.
So I gathered a few colleagues from both the medical and scientific world and founded Augmented Anatomy. This MedTech company has a clear vision: visualising the individual and unique anatomy through Augmented Reality. As I am a plastic surgeon myself, our initial product would of course have a benefit for my own profession.
Augmented Anatomy
We aim to visualise everyone’s unique and individual anatomy through augmented reality and apply that knowledge for a wide array of surgical procedures
In order to launch a successful product, there has to be a clear need for that particular device or piece of software. After all, if a product or device is redundant, nobody will ever use it. Reading through reports of filler-associated skin necrosis and blindness, a clear need became visible: there needs to be a way to visualise a patient's arterial anatomy through augmented reality in order to help an injector during a filler treatment. We all have ignored the potential complications of filler-associated arterial obstruction for far too long. Indeed, when a filler gets injected into an artery by accident, those filler particles will obstruct the smaller arterial branches along their way. These branches feed crucial structures, such as the skin and the eye. Although the reports of filler-associated skin necrosis and blindness are still limited, the risks of these life-changing complications should not be taken lightly and everything should be done in order to avoid the worst complications.
Filler-associated arterial complications
If a filler gets injected into a blood vessel under the skin, the filler particles may obstruct the small vessels feeding the skin or the ey, causing skin necrosis or blindness
So within the company, we came up with a quite innovative workflow to actually show every patient's individual arterial anatomy. We hope to help every injector in avoiding the risky zones and inject a patient with more confidence and less fear. The whole workflow is based on a single, one-time MRI scan to map the anatomy. We have collaborated with the major MRI-brands (Siemens, Philips, GE) to develop specific sequences that do not require any IV contrast. The other advantage of an MRI is that it is completely risk-free, as there is no radiation involved. Over time, we have trained several MRI-centers in Belgium and beyond to offer these sequences to referred patients. You may find a complete list on our website www.artery3d.com/mri. Currently, several centers are set up in Belgium, the Netherlands, London and Spain. More will come soon.
The workflow of Artery 3D
A one-time, risk-free MRI is needed to map the patient’s anatomy. These images are automatically analysed and processed to generate an augmented reality image of the important facial arteries.
Undergoing this one-time MRI is the only necessary step for the patient to take. The rest is being handled on our side. We analyse the images, isolate the relevant vessels, and apply some technological magic to let them appear on your face through the power of Augmented Reality. The next time you visit your practitioner, he or she will just open the app on their phone, point the camera towards your face et voilà: a clear and accurate image of the patient's arteries is visualised. During the planning of a filler or botox injection, the practitioner can then precisely locate and draw the vessels to avoid and determine where to inject. Minimum risks with maximum safety. It's just that easy.
We have published our research and findings in multiple articles that you can find here. One of the latest articles I wrote even won the prize for Best International Paper of the Year by Aesthetic Surgery Journal.
If you are interested in using this technology as a practitioner, don't hesitate to reach out. If you are a patient and you prefer to have your filler treatments done in a safe way, please make an appointment so we can go over the necessary steps to get your anatomy visualised.