Objective: Virtual reality (VR) has been utilized for medical education and to plan various operations for several years. 360° VR visualization platform creates patient-specific models from volumetric scans that can be manipulated and viewed from any angle at high resolution. No data is currently available that addresses the utility of 360° VR for planning a tracheal stent insertion in the presence of a mediastinal mass. This is the first known case report describing the technique.

Methods: A 53-year-old female presented with dyspnea and wheezing caused by airway compression from a malignant mediastinal mass. DICOMs^® from the patient's computed tomography scan were used to create a 360° VR rendering of the patient's chest, highlighting the cancer and its effect on the airways.

Results: 360° VR planning adequately depicted the patient's airway anatomy. In particular, it demonstrated a safe landing zone for the distal end of a covered 18 x 40mm straight tracheal stent which was placed by flexible bronchoscopy. The patient's pulmonary symptoms improved following stent insertion.

Conclusion: 360° VR planning is a valuable, noninvasive tool to help plan various operations, including tracheal stent insertion. In our case, VR planning obviated the need for an additional (and invasive) planning bronchoscopy.