The Use of Virtual Reality to Reduce Anxiety and Pain in Perioperative Settings

August 5, 2026 updated by: University of California, San Francisco
We will investigate whether the use of Virtual Reality (VR) preoperatively and intraoperatively can help treat pain and anxiety, as measured by patient feedback, vital signs trends, and the amounts of anesthetics, pain medications and anxiolytics used during surgical procedures. The VR intervention will be studied during short hand surgeries normally performed using local anesthesia and sedation.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Virtual Reality (VR) is a powerful and inexpensive technology that has been effectively used in healthcare settings to treat anxiety and pain, with minimal side effects. In the last two decades, opioid abuse and deaths related to opioids have increased, and opioid naive patients are at increased risk of opioid abuse when opioids are used during their surgical procedures. In addition, anesthetics, anxiolytics and analgesics, namely opioids, have a myriad of side effects that worsen patient experience, and lead to complications and increased costs. There are limited studies on the use of VR in the perioperative setting. Our study is a randomized controlled trial to investigate the use of VR to treat anxiety and pain in perioperative settings. We will recruit 56 patients, 28 in the control group and 28 in the VR group, undergoing short (<2 hrs) hand or upper extremity surgeries under local anesthesia and monitored anesthesia care (MAC). The control group will receive standard anesthetic management and the VR group will be exposed to VR in the preoperative setting and during the surgical procedure, using the clinically validated AppliedVR software. The data collected will included satisfaction questionnaires and pain scores for anxiety/pain pre- and post- procedure, vital signs trends to assess sympathetic response during surgery, and amount of anesthetics used. We hypothesize that the VR group will show decreased anxiety and pain, increased satisfaction, and decreased use of anesthetics during the procedure.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
40

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • San Francisco, California, United States, 94158
        • UCSF Orthopedic Institute

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. 18 years old or older and less or equal to 75 years old.
  2. ASA physical status I-II.
  3. English speaking.
  4. Undergoing elective surgery with local anesthetic with sedation.
  5. Surgical time less than 2 hours.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. ASA physical status III or above.
  2. Allergy to fentanyl, midazolam or propofol.
  3. History of seizure, migraines.
  4. Chronic Pain Syndrome.
  5. Use of high dose opioids or long acting opioids.
  6. Severe anxiety, on daily anxiolytics.
  7. Psychiatric comorbidities that preclude the use of VR.
  8. Physical disabilities that preclude the use of VR technology in a comfortable manner.
  9. Patient refusal.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
No Intervention: Control group
Usual anesthetic care.
Experimental: Virtual Reality Intervention Group
Virtual Reality Distraction
Other: Virtual Reality Distraction
This RCT will utilize an Oculus Go VR headset that delivers VR images and sound. Users will wear the VR headset. A research coordinator will familiarize patients with hardware before use. The VR will be used preoperatively and intraoperatively to distracts patients, and aid with the treatment of pain and anxiety.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pre-Op Numeric Rating Scale for Pain
Time Frame: 1 minute during pre-op period
Self-reported pain intensity pre- and post-operation. Each item is scored 0-10 (0 = no pain, 10 = pain as bad as it can be).
1 minute during pre-op period
Pre-Op Numeric Rating Scale for Anxiety
Time Frame: 1 minute during pre-op period
Self-reported anxiety intensity pre-operation. Each item is scored 0-10 (0 = no anxiety, 10 = anxiety as bad as it can be).
1 minute during pre-op period
Post-Op Numeric Rating Scale for Pain
Time Frame: 1 minute during PACU stay
Self-reported pain intensity post-operation. Each item is scored 0-10 (0 = no pain, 10 = pain as bad as it can be).
1 minute during PACU stay
Post-Op Numeric Rating Scale for Anxiety
Time Frame: 1 minute during PACU stay
Self-reported anxiety intensity post-operation. Each item is scored 0-10 (0 = no anxiety, 10 = anxiety as bad as it can be).
1 minute during PACU stay
Preoperative Medication Dosage
Time Frame: up to 2 hours during pre-op period
The amount of midazolam (milligrams [mg]), opioids (mg or micrograms [mcg]), propofol (mg), and other sedatives administered to the patient prior to surgery.
up to 2 hours during pre-op period
Intraoperative Medication Dosage
Time Frame: up to 2 hours during surgery
The amount of midazolam (milligrams [mg]), opioid (mg or micrograms [mcg]), propofol (mg), and other sedatives (mg) administered to the patient during surgery.
up to 2 hours during surgery
Postoperative Medication Dosage
Time Frame: approximately 1 hour during PACU stay
The amount of midazolam (milligrams [mg]), opioid (mg or micrograms [mcg]), propofol (mg), and other sedatives (mg) administered to the patient after surgery.
approximately 1 hour during PACU stay

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Blood Pressure
Time Frame: up to 2 hours during surgery
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)
up to 2 hours during surgery
Heart Rate
Time Frame: up to 2 hours during surgery
Beats per minute (bpm)
up to 2 hours during surgery
Satisfaction with Anesthesia Survey
Time Frame: 5 minutes during PACU stay
An instrument that measures patient satisfaction with anesthesia care through open-ended and ranked response questions.
5 minutes during PACU stay
Virtual Reality (VR) Survey
Time Frame: 5 minutes during PACU stay
An instrument designed by study staff to collect information on patients' experience wearing the VR device. The 16-question survey utilizes free-responses, yes/no, and ranked responses.
5 minutes during PACU stay

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of California, San Francisco

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Sakura Kinjo, M.D., University of California, San Francisco

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 10, 2018

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 15, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 15, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 24, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 15, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 16, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
August 10, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 5, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 17-22021

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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