Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) is the addition of artificial information to one or more senses, allowing the user to perform tasks more efficiently. The development of AR depends on technological advances, with the last decade probably being the one with the greatest progress. This technology used to be expensive; however, we have introduced this innovation into our practice using the smartphone as a hand-held device through an AR app. AR surgical planning ranges from superficial perforator tracking to complex volumetric flap design. In this chapter, we will review technical aspects, uses for microsurgical planning, augmented reality for smartphones, and uses during intraoperative microsurgery.