Application of VascuLens 2.0, A Mixed Reality System for Surgical Guidance During DIEP Flap Harvest: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA · Jul 14, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Background and Rationale:

Breast reconstruction surgery is a surgical procedure that can be done after a breast removal surgery ("mastectomy"). One of the more common surgical methods for reconstruction involves taking a section of tissue from the abdomen that includes skin, fat, and blood vessels and relocating it to form the breast mound. This specific surgical method uses a section of the abdomen called the Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery Perforator (DIEP) flap. In order to accurately identify the necessary blood vessels for this surgery, surgeons generally take CTA (computed tomography...

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Patients must be ≥ 19 years old
• • Patients must be undergoing a DIEP flap surgery after mastectomy for breast cancer or risk reduction
• • Patient is already scheduled for a pre-operative CTA as part of routine standard of care.
• • Note: Non-English speaking participants will be given the option to have a translator.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Patients who have had a prior DIEP flap, as they may not have standard vascular anatomy and the previous surgery may have resulted in scarring and fibrosis that would potentially interfere with the accuracy of the projected anatomical information.
• • Patients who have not had a pre-operative CTA because no imaging-based surgical guidance can be provided
• • Patients who are pregnant at the time of surgery
• • Patients who had a pre-operative CTA done before they were considered for this trial