Virtual Reality as an Adjunct to Pediatric Cast Removal: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric medicine
• Pain management
• Anxiety reduction

Background:

• Cast removal can cause pain and anxiety in children.
• Limited evidence exists on virtual reality (VR) use for pediatric cast removal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effect of VR compared to standard of care (SOC) on pain and anxiety during pediatric cast removal.
• To evaluate VR's impact on sympathetic response (heart rate) and self-reported pain and anxiety.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving children aged 4-12 years undergoing first-time cast removal.
• Comparison between VR headset intervention and standard of care (earmuffs).
• Assessment of heart rate, pain (FACES, VAS), and anxiety (VAS) before, during, and after the procedure.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in heart rate or self-reported pain between VR and SOC groups.
• Average pain scores were low across both groups.
• VR significantly reduced anxiety in both children and caregivers compared to SOC.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality does not improve physiological pain or self-reported pain during pediatric cast removal.
• VR effectively reduces anxiety in children and caregivers during this procedure.
• Low overall pain suggests standard care is adequate for pain management, but VR offers added anxiety benefits.