The following is a summary of “Virtual Reality for Postsurgical Pain Management: An explorative randomized controlled study,” published in the July 2024 issue of Surgery by Lier et al.

Virtual reality (VR) holds promise as a component of multimodal analgesic strategies, yet its role in managing postsurgical pain remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess self-administered VR’s initial efficacy and feasibility for postsurgical pain management.

Patients experiencing postsurgical pain scores of ≥4 were randomized into control or VR groups, stratified across three interventions varying in immersion and interaction levels. Participants were instructed to use VR as an adjunctive treatment at least three times daily for 10 minutes from postoperative days 2 to 4. The primary outcome measured was mean daily pain intensity. Pain scores were analyzed relative to patient and intervention characteristics to identify factors interacting with VR effects. Secondary outcomes included analgesic use, anxiety, stress levels, and feasibility assessments.

The analysis included 100 patients: 37 in the control group and 63 in the VR group. VR did not significantly reduce self-reported pain scores (P = .43), nor did specific patient or intervention characteristics show associations with enhanced VR effects. There was no difference in analgesic consumption between groups. However, a trend toward more patients achieving a 30% pain reduction and significantly lower daily stress (P = .01) and anxiety (P = .03) levels was observed in the VR groups. Adherence to VR protocols was limited, primarily due to illness and pain-related discomfort. Adverse events such as disorientation, nausea, and fatigue were reported.

This exploratory study did not demonstrate the initial efficacy of VR as an adjunctive pain treatment in terms of reducing pain intensity or analgesic use. However, VR showed beneficial effects on stress and anxiety levels, suggesting potential psychological benefits. VR was well-tolerated overall, though patient discomfort influenced adherence. Future research should focus on personalizing VR interventions and improving technology to optimize its therapeutic potential in postsurgical pain management.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003960602400391X