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Do Extended Reality Interventions Benefit Patients Undergoing Elective Cardiac Surgical and Interventional
Emma Harris1, Steven Fenton2, John Stephenson3
1School of Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Journal of Clinical Nursing
|December 13, 2024
Summary
Extended reality (XR) interventions, specifically virtual reality (VR), significantly reduce anxiety for cardiac surgery patients. VR also enhances knowledge and physical function, improving the overall patient experience.
Area of Science:
- Medical Informatics
- Digital Health
- Surgical Innovation
Background:
- Extended Reality (XR) interventions show promise for patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery and interventional procedures.
- A lack of systematic reviews with meta-analyses hinders clinical guidance on XR effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically evaluate the evidence on the effectiveness of XR interventions for reducing patient anxiety and pain.
- To assess other associated outcomes related to XR use in cardiac procedures.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 statement.
- Searches included five databases (CENTRAL, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, Scopus) up to July 2023.
- Meta-analyses focused on anxiety and pain, with secondary outcomes synthesized; risk of bias was assessed using established tools.
Main Results:
- Virtual Reality (VR) was the sole XR technology evaluated among 22 included studies (10 in meta-analyses).
- VR significantly reduced pre-procedural (SMD: -1.29) and peri-procedural anxiety (SMD: -0.50) but did not impact pain levels.
- VR improved pre-procedural knowledge, postsurgical physical and pulmonary function, though evidence for emotional wellbeing and care delivery was inconsistent.
Conclusions:
- XR, particularly VR, offers potential benefits for cardiac patients by reducing pre- and peri-procedural anxiety.
- VR interventions can increase procedural knowledge and improve physical function, supporting nurses in enhancing patient care and experience.
