The pioneering system, introduced by the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, was used during surgery on 14-year-old Dylan, whose scoliosis, a severe curvature of the spine, had become so extreme it began compressing one of his lungs.
"I wasn't able to do cadets or after school club," Dylan told BBC Midlands. "It was pretty bad. I'd be in bed, in pain".
Mr Vinay Jasani, the surgeon who lead the operation, said that Dylan's case required urgent intervention, while acknowledging the challenges that come with traditional spinal surgery - where surgeons navigate around the spinal cord and surrounding organs, often with limited visibility.
The new VR headset system, funded by a donation from the Denise Coates Foundation, projects real-time scans directly into the surgeon’s field of vision
The new VR headset system, funded by a donation from the Denise Coates Foundation, projects real-time scans directly into the surgeon’s field of vision, allowing them to see exactly what’s happening inside the body without looking away from the patient.
"I don't need to look down at the patient and then up at a screen," he said. "It's all in front of you while you work.”
The Magic Leap goggles, which integrate with a surgical robot, cost around £850,000. While the technology doesn’t eliminate the risks of spinal surgery, including paralysis or even death, it dramatically improves accuracy, reduces complications, and could make minimally invasive procedures more common.
His pain has eased, he’s returned to normal activities, and, as his stepdad proudly noted, he’s now four inches taller.
Another young patient, Grace Watts, who underwent surgery using the same system, told The Sun she feels safer knowing “much can’t go wrong with stuff like this”. For Dylan, the difference has been life-changing. His pain has eased, he’s returned to normal activities, and, as his stepdad proudly noted, he’s now four inches taller.
The Royal Stoke is the first NHS hospital to adopt the Magic Leap system, but wider rollout is expected. NHS England estimates that by 2035, robotic systems will be used in half a million operations each year. Sir Jim Mackey, Chief Executive of NHS England, said robotic and VR-assisted surgery could be key to cutting waiting lists and improving outcomes nationwide, delivering faster recoveries, fewer complications, and shorter hospital stays.