Virtual Reality to Reduce Pre-Operative Anxiety

NCT ID: NCT04268914

Last Updated: 2023-10-27

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

SUSPENDED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

450 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2015-12-04

Study Completion Date

2026-12-06

Brief Summary

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This study aims to test the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) as a non-pharmaceutical intervention to reduce pain and anxiety in children undergoing various procedures in the Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) at CHLA, as measured by self- and proxy-report.

Detailed Description

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4 million children undergo surgery in the US each year and up to 65% of these children experience significant anxiety and distress before surgery. High anxiety can be traumatic, but it can also lead to postoperative adverse outcomes, such as increased pain and analgesics requirements, delayed hospital discharge, and maladaptive behavioral changes, in children after the surgery. Non-pharmacological intervention, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) interventions, such as virtual reality, has been shown to decrease anxiety and distress in other medical procedures (e.g., burn care, phlebotomy). Yet to date, no clinical trial has been conducted to examine the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) to reduce anxiety and distress prior to outpatient surgeries in the operating room setting.

The current study aims to: 1) Determine if VR is more effective than standard care for preventing anxiety, distress, and pain before surgery among children undergoing anesthesia induction, 2) To evaluate healthcare provider's and caregiver's assessment of patient cooperation and caregiver's distress and satisfaction with VR compared to standard of care, and 3) to explore the influence of patient and caregiver characteristics on the effectiveness of VR in preventing pre-operative anxiety and distress and subsequent post-operative outcomes.

Study Population: Children (age 10 - 21 years) and their parents who are scheduled to undergo outpatient surgery, whose health status is American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-III, and are in the normal range of development are eligible to be in the study.

Study Methodology: The study is a randomized, controlled trial designed to examine the effects of VR on the level of preoperative pain, anxiety and distress of children undergoing surgery.

Statistical Analyses: Univariate Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) will be used to compare differences in primary and secondary outcome variables in VR + standard of care to standard of care only conditions when pre and post-operative measures are available. Univariate ANOVA will be used to compare conditions on post-operative variables. Multiple regression analyses will be used to examine the influence of patient and caregiver variables on patient outcomes in the VR group only.

Conditions

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Virtual Reality Augmented Reality IV Stick Mask Induction Ambulatory Surgery Pain Anxiety

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Standard of Care (No VR) Randomization

In the standard of care treatment condition, participants will receive the standard CHLA treatment protocol for IV placement and induction of anesthesia. Current standard of care practices at CHLA for outpatient surgery induction will include the following steps. Children may receive midazolam, parental presence during induction and any other intervention or medication chosen by the HCP. The research team will have no input to the decision regarding the use of any therapy.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

VR Randomization

When a child is assigned to the VR condition s/he will have the added component of VR distraction during pre-surgical preparation. Children in the VR condition will interact with an immersive 3D virtual environment presented via a HMD (head-mounted display), a helmet with computer screens for each eye. This study will use two HMDs at two possible time points: (1) Prior to and during IV placement, participants will play using the Oculus Go; (2) Prior to and during anesthesia induction, participants will play using the Mira Prism.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Oculus Go VR

Intervention Type DEVICE

The Oculus Go is a standalone headset with built-in speakers that runs independently of a smartphone. Via the Oculus Go, participants will engage with BearBlast (developed by AppliedVR). Throughout the world, plush moles play the role of antagonist, standing in for the nuisance and distraction of pain. The VR game is equipped with a head-tracking system, enabling the player to look around the virtual environment. In addition, there is the option to interact with the VR environment using a tap pad located on the side of the helmet. Therefore, the child will be receiving distraction via 3-D visual and auditory sensory, and tactile feedback, thus supplying a multi-sensory immersive experience. The VR HMD runs independently of a smartphone and has active matrix LCDs with high pixel resolution, creating a bright, vibrant color and a quality image.

Mira Prism VR

Intervention Type DEVICE

The Mira Prism is a portable, augmented reality (AR) HMD powered by iPhone. When paired with the iPhone, the Mira Prism goggles can superimpose computer-generated images on the user's view of the real world. Unlike the full immersion of VR, AR allows users to view the outside world while interacting with digital content. In this study, the patient will interact with Magic Mallet (developed by Miney Moe) until falling asleep during the anesthesia induction process. Magic Mallet is a distraction game designed for pain management and communication during procedures. The game automatically adjusts cognitive load for optimal effect for users. Study team iPhones specifically loaded with Magic Mallet, and without cellular capability, will be used with the Mira Prism.

Interventions

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Oculus Go VR

The Oculus Go is a standalone headset with built-in speakers that runs independently of a smartphone. Via the Oculus Go, participants will engage with BearBlast (developed by AppliedVR). Throughout the world, plush moles play the role of antagonist, standing in for the nuisance and distraction of pain. The VR game is equipped with a head-tracking system, enabling the player to look around the virtual environment. In addition, there is the option to interact with the VR environment using a tap pad located on the side of the helmet. Therefore, the child will be receiving distraction via 3-D visual and auditory sensory, and tactile feedback, thus supplying a multi-sensory immersive experience. The VR HMD runs independently of a smartphone and has active matrix LCDs with high pixel resolution, creating a bright, vibrant color and a quality image.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Mira Prism VR

The Mira Prism is a portable, augmented reality (AR) HMD powered by iPhone. When paired with the iPhone, the Mira Prism goggles can superimpose computer-generated images on the user's view of the real world. Unlike the full immersion of VR, AR allows users to view the outside world while interacting with digital content. In this study, the patient will interact with Magic Mallet (developed by Miney Moe) until falling asleep during the anesthesia induction process. Magic Mallet is a distraction game designed for pain management and communication during procedures. The game automatically adjusts cognitive load for optimal effect for users. Study team iPhones specifically loaded with Magic Mallet, and without cellular capability, will be used with the Mira Prism.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Children who are 10-21 years old
* Children who are English speaking (parents may be Spanish English speaking or Spanish speaking)
* Children who are scheduled to undergo outpatient surgery are eligible to participate in this project.
* Children whose health status is American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-III will be recruited for this study. ASA status I refers to patients who are normal and healthy with no known systemic disease. ASA status II refers to patients who have mild or well-controlled systemic diseases, such as non-insulin dependent diabetes, upper respiratory conditions, well-controlled asthma or allergies.
* Only children who are in the normal range of development will be recruited for this study. This will be assessed by report from the parents. The rationale for excluding patients with developmental delay is that due to their cognitive impairments, such children react to the stressors of surgery differently than do children without such developmental delay. It is unclear how such children would use the preparation programs and interventions included in this study, and it is likely that their responses on baseline and outcome measures will differ from children of normal developmental parameters.

Exclusion Criteria

* Children with health status defined by ASA status IV-V will be excluded from this study. ASA status IV refers to patients with an incapacitating systemic disease that is a constant threat to life. ASA status V patients are considered moribund.
* Children who are taking psychotropic medications that affect emotion modulation will be excluded from this study.
* Children with organic brain syndrome, mental retardation, or other known cognitive/neurological disorders
* Children with visual, auditory, or tactile deficits that would interfere with the ability to complete the experimental tasks or use the technological devices
* Children with a history of seizure disorder.
* Children currently sick with flu-like symptoms or experiencing a headache or earache
Minimum Eligible Age

10 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

21 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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AppliedVR Inc.

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role collaborator

Children's Hospital Los Angeles

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Jeffrey I Gold, PhD

Professor of Anesthesiology, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Jeffrey I Gold, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Locations

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Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Other Identifiers

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CHLA-15-00461

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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