Future of Surgical Mixed Reality: Cutting-Edge or Cutting Too Deep?

Mixed reality technology has the potential to transform healthcare, notably through advanced intraoperative applications such as insitu surgical guidance and virtual surgical displays. However, the adoption of MR in operating rooms faces several hurdles, including technical limitations, regulatory barriers, and challenges centered around user experiences. This paper examines these multifaceted issues, exploring the advantages and limitations of MR in surgery, the reasons for its slow adoption, and strategies to accelerate its integration. We pinpoint essential areas for future research, focusing on how MR influences the dynamics and workflows of surgical teams, and discuss both the potential solutions it offers and the new challenges it introduces. We conclude that MR can significantly enhance surgical practices but overcoming obstacles and altering workflows require gradual, evidence-based changes to ease adoption.