Satisfaction and tolerability using virtual reality (VR) as adjunctive treatment during flexible bronchoscopy: a...

Area of Science:

• Medical Technology
• Pulmonology
• Patient Experience

Background:

• Patient comfort is crucial during invasive procedures like flexible bronchoscopy (FB).
• The efficacy of virtual reality (VR) as a distraction technique to improve patient tolerability and satisfaction during FB has not been previously investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess and compare patient satisfaction and tolerability during flexible bronchoscopy (FB) with and without the use of virtual reality (VR).

Main Methods:

• A single-center, open-label study randomized 80 patients undergoing FB into a control group (standard care) and an interventional group (VR with nature videos).
• Pain, breathlessness, and cough were measured using a 10 cm visual analogue scale; anxiety was assessed with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; and satisfaction was evaluated using a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire post-procedure.

Main Results:

• The VR group reported significantly higher median satisfaction scores (5.0) compared to the control group (4.0) (p < 0.001).
• Participants in the VR group experienced significantly less severe breathlessness (p = 0.042), cough (p = 0.001), and anxiety (p < 0.001) post-FB.
• No significant difference in pain levels was observed between the VR and control groups (p = 0.290).

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality (VR) integration during flexible bronchoscopy (FB) enhances patient satisfaction and improves tolerability, specifically reducing breathlessness and cough.
• VR use was associated with significantly lower anxiety levels in patients undergoing FB.