The metaverse refers to a collective virtual space that combines physical and digital realities to create immersive, interactive environments. This space is powered by technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain. In healthcare, the metaverse can offer many applications. Specifically in surgery, potential uses of the metaverse include the possibility of conducting immersive surgical training in a VR or AR setting, and enhancing surgical planning through the adoption of three-dimensional virtual models and simulated procedures. At the intraoperative level, AR-guided surgery can assist the surgeon in real time to increase surgical precision in tumour identification and selective management of vessels. In post-operative care, potential uses of the metaverse include recovery monitoring and patient education. In urology, AR and VR have been widely explored in the past decade, mainly for surgical navigation in prostate and kidney cancer surgery, whereas only anecdotal metaverse experiences have been reported to date, specifically in partial nephrectomy. In the future, further integration of AI will improve the metaverse experience, potentially increasing the possibility of carrying out surgical navigation, data collection and virtual trials within the metaverse. However, challenges concerning data security and regulatory compliance must be addressed before the metaverse can be used to improve patient care.

元宇宙是指将物理和数字现实相结合以创建身临其境的交互式环境的集体虚拟空间。这个空间由增强现实 （AR）、虚拟现实 （VR）、人工智能 （AI） 和区块链等技术提供支持。在医疗保健领域，元宇宙可以提供许多应用程序。特别是在外科手术中，元宇宙的潜在用途包括在 VR 或 AR 环境中进行沉浸式手术培训的可能性，以及通过采用 3D 虚拟模型和模拟程序来增强手术计划。在术中层面，AR 引导的手术可以实时协助外科医生提高肿瘤识别和血管选择性管理的手术精度。在术后护理中，元宇宙的潜在用途包括恢复监测和患者教育。在泌尿外科领域，AR 和 VR 在过去十年中得到了广泛探索，主要用于前列腺癌和肾癌手术的手术导航，而迄今为止只报道了轶事元宇宙体验，特别是在部分肾切除术中。未来，人工智能的进一步整合将改善元宇宙体验，有可能增加在元宇宙中进行手术导航、数据收集和虚拟试验的可能性。然而，在使用 Metaverse 改善患者护理之前，必须解决有关数据安全和监管合规性的挑战。