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The Effect of VR-Based Games in Reducing Pain and Anxiety in Patients Undergoing Open-Heart Surgery: A Clinical Trial Study
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Fatemeh Bahramnezhad    , Esmat Shomalinasab , Zahra Asadi , Mahmoud Shiri Kahnouee , Fatemeh Bahramnezhad * |
| Australian Centre for Heart Health, Melbourne, Australia, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia, Centre on Behavioral Health, Hong Kong University, Hong Kong, PRC , Bahramnezhad.f@gmail.com |
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Abstract: (67 Views) |
Background & aim: Reconstructive surgeries are an effective treatment for cardiovascular diseases, which are recognized as the leading cause of mortality worldwide. However, such procedures are often accompanied by complications such as pain, anxiety, and infections, which significantly impact patients' quality of life. In recent years, emerging technologies like virtual reality (VR) have garnered attention as effective strategies for reducing pain and anxiety, offering a non-pharmacological alternative to excessive use of analgesic medications and their side effects. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of VR-based games in reducing pain and anxiety in patients undergoing open-heart surgery.
Methods: This parallel clinical trial was conducted in 2024 on 90 patients who underwent open-heart surgery in the intensive care unit of Shahid Madani Hospital in Tabriz, Iran. Participants were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and randomly assigned using block randomization into intervention and control groups. The intervention involved a VR-based game designed in collaboration with software and psychology experts, in which patients used a VR headset to experience natural landscapes and interactively build a snowman. Data were collected using demographic questionnaires, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain intensity, the Spielberger Anxiety Inventory, and a physiological parameters checklist. Pain and anxiety levels were assessed before and after the intervention.
Results: After the intervention, the mean pain intensity in the intervention group decreased from 8.1 to 4.3, which was statistically highly significant (P<0.001, effect size = -5.74); whereas no significant change was observed in the control group (from 7.9 to 7.6, P = 0.37). Similarly, the anxiety level in the intervention group showed a marked reduction (from 60.2 to 44.8, P<0.001, effect size = -6.38), while no significant difference was found in the control group (P = 0.11). In addition, physiological parameters, including heart rate (P<0.001), blood pressure (P = 0.005), respiratory rate (P<0.01), and oxygen saturation (P<0.01), showed significant improvement in the intervention group after the intervention, whereas no noticeable changes were observed in the control group.
Conclusion: These findings confirm the notable effectiveness of virtual reality as a non-pharmacological method for managing pain and anxiety after cardiac surgery. Accordingly, the use of VR may be considered a cost-effective, safe, and impactful intervention in the postoperative care programs of patients undergoing open-heart surgery. |
Article number: 4 |
| Keywords: Game Therapy, Virtual Reality, Pain, Anxiety, Open-Heart Surgery |
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Full-Text [PDF 1193 kb]
(34 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/07/23 | Accepted: 2025/11/29 | Published: 2026/04/15
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