ReviewAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI2026
Extended Reality for Image-Guided Small Animal Surgery: Current Evidence, Clinical Applications, and Future Directions.
Review in Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Image-guided surgery has become an integral component of modern veterinary surgery using advanced imaging modalities, such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, and fluoroscopy. Recently, extended reality (XR) technologies have emerged as promising tools to enhance image-guided surgical procedures by improving three-dimensional anatomical understanding, surgical navigation, and intraoperative decision-making. Although XR has gained considerable attention in human surgery, its application in veterinary surgery remains at an early stage. This narrative review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the current evidence regarding XR technologies in small animal surgery, with particular emphasis on their integration with preoperative and intraoperative imaging modalities. The available literature was reviewed to evaluate current clinical applications, technological developments and future perspectives. A literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published up to May 2026 using combinations of terms related to extended reality and small animal veterinary surgery. Original articles, case reports, pilot studies, technical reports, and reviews addressing clinical, experimental, or simulation-based applications were considered. Although several studies have explored the use of XR technologies for veterinary education, anatomical training, and diagnostic imaging instruction, relatively few investigations have assessed their direct application in clinical surgical practice. Potential applications have been described in orthopedic, oncologic, neurologic, cardiovascular, and minimally invasive procedures. Crucially, the currently available peer-reviewed evidence is restricted to canine patients, as no eligible feline studies were identified. Current evidence suggests that XR is an emerging technology with potential applications in canine surgical planning, image-guided procedures, and surgical training. Further prospective clinical studies are required to establish its clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and impact on surgical outcomes.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.