A virtual reality surgery was performed for the first time in Ukraine

For the first time in Ukraine, an operation using virtual reality techniques was performed at the Clinical Emergency Hospital of Lviv.

The hospital informed about it on Facebook, Rubryka reports.

"For the first time in Ukraine, our team of the Cardiovascular Center performed a state-of-the-art surgery with preoperative virtual reality simulation. Our patient was a 12-year-old girl who suffered from symptomatic hypertension and had blood pressure in the range of 160-180 mm Hg," the message read.

According to doctors, the examination revealed a congenital heart defect in the girl, coarctation of the aorta. This is a condition when there's a narrowing of the aortic lumen, resulting in the development of increased pressure in the upper half of the body.

With the help of modern technologies, based on the examination results, a virtual reconstruction of the anatomy of the aorta and its branches was performed, which helped physicians to choose the most modern and minimally invasive tactics for further treatment. The congenital vascular defect was eliminated with the help of a minimally invasive endovascular procedure: installation of a stent in the vessel lumen.

"Immediately after the operation, the child's blood pressure returned to normal, and the pressure difference between the upper and lower extremities disappeared. Today, the girl feels completely healthy, and thanks to the chosen tactics, she shows full physical activity," the hospital said.