Perioperative immersive virtual reality intervention for acute and persistent postoperative pain after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: A randomized controlled trial.
An-Kang Zhu, Juan Zhang, Yang-Ming Chen et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of perioperative immersive virtual reality (VR) on acute and persistent postoperative pain in 120 patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). The study found that 48.1% of VR patients experienced a ≥30% reduction in pain during coughing compared to 16.7% in the control group (P = 0.001). Additionally, the VR group had significantly lower rates of subacute and persistent postoperative pain.
Key findings
- 48.1% of VR patients achieved a ≥30% reduction in pain during coughing vs 16.7% of controls (P = 0.001).
- Subacute postoperative pain at 1 month was lower in the VR group (24.0% vs 56.5%, P = 0.002).
- Persistent postoperative pain at 3 months was lower in the VR group (10.0% vs 32.6%, P = 0.011).
Why it matters
Effective pain management is crucial for recovery after surgery. This study suggests that immersive VR can significantly reduce both acute and longer-term postoperative pain, offering a promising non-pharmacological option for clinicians to consider in pain management protocols.