Self-Administered Virtual Reality for Postsurgical Pain Management: A Qualitative Study of Hospital Patients'...

Area of Science:

• Pain Management
• Virtual Reality Applications
• Surgical Recovery

Background:

• Virtual Reality (VR) demonstrates efficacy in pain reduction across various conditions.
• The role of VR in multimodal postsurgical pain management requires further investigation.
• Understanding patient needs and expectations is crucial for optimizing VR interventions post-surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of three VR interventions as add-on, self-administered treatments for postsurgical pain.
• To assess patient experiences with VR hardware, software, and prescription parameters.
• To identify factors influencing the successful implementation of VR in postsurgical care.

Main Methods:

• Substudy of a randomized controlled trial involving semi-structured interviews.
• Comparison of patient experiences across different VR interventions.
• Qualitative analysis of VR effects, usability, and implementation factors.

Main Results:

• Patients reported benefits from self-administered VR for postsurgical pain without significant drawbacks.
• Preferred VR devices were intuitive, 3D, 360-degree with diverse applications.
• Optimal usage involved 2-3 daily sessions of 10-15 minutes each.

Conclusions:

• Self-administered VR is a beneficial, non-pharmacological tool for postsurgical pain management.
• Tailoring VR interventions to individual patient needs and contexts enhances implementation success.
• Increased awareness of VR's potential among patients and healthcare professionals is recommended for promoting recovery.