Esta página foi traduzida automaticamente e a precisão da tradução não é garantida. Por favor, consulte o versão em inglês para um texto fonte.

Virtual Reality-Assisted Cast Application in Children With Forearm Fractures (VR-CAST)

1 de julho de 2026 atualizado por: Lezgin Mert, Başakşehir Çam & Sakura City Hospital

Does Virtual Reality Reduce Pain, Anxiety, Physiologic Stress, and Return-Visit Fear During Pediatric Forearm Casting? A Randomized Controlled Trial

This prospective randomized controlled trial will evaluate whether virtual reality can reduce procedural distress in children undergoing cast application for forearm fractures. Children will be assigned to either a virtual reality group or a standard care group. In the virtual reality group, children will watch a 3-minute child-friendly animated educational video using a VR headset during cast application. The video explains the casting procedure, how to protect the cast, and what the child should do after the cast is applied.

The study will compare pain, anxiety, heart rate response, caregiver anxiety, and procedure-related fear between the two groups. The casting team will assess the child during the procedure. One day after cast application, each child will undergo an approximately 30-minute evaluation by a child psychiatry clinician who is blinded to group allocation. This follow-up assessment will evaluate the child's current anxiety, anxiety related to the cast experience, fear of returning to the hospital or doctor, and fear-related behaviors after the procedure.

Visão geral do estudo

Status

Recrutamento

Condições

Intervenção / Tratamento

Descrição detalhada

Forearm fractures are common injuries in children and frequently require cast immobilization. Although cast application is a routine orthopedic procedure, children may experience pain, anxiety, fear, and physiologic stress during the procedure. In some children, this experience may also lead to fear of returning to the hospital or doctor, sometimes referred to as doctor-related or white coat-related fear.

Virtual reality may help children during medical procedures by providing immersive visual and auditory distraction. In addition, an age-appropriate educational video may reduce uncertainty by explaining what will happen during the procedure and how the child should care for the cast afterward.

This study is designed as a prospective, randomized, parallel-group clinical trial. Children with forearm fractures requiring cast application will be randomized into two groups: a virtual reality group and a standard care group. Children in the virtual reality group will wear a Meta Quest 3 headset during cast application and watch a 3-minute child-friendly animated educational video generated using Google Flow. The video explains the cast application process, cast protection, and post-cast care instructions. Children in the standard care group will undergo routine cast application without virtual reality. Apart from the virtual reality intervention, all clinical care will be the same between the two groups.

During cast application, the orthopedic casting team will record procedural pain, procedural anxiety, heart rate before the procedure, mean heart rate during the procedure, heart rate after a 2-minute recovery period, procedure duration, whether the virtual reality headset was removed, and whether nausea, dizziness, or discomfort occurred. Caregivers will also rate the child's anxiety, their own anxiety, and the child's pain before and after the procedure.

One day after cast application, each child will undergo an approximately 30-minute follow-up assessment by a child psychiatry clinician who is blinded to group allocation. Children and caregivers will be instructed not to disclose whether virtual reality was used. This blinded assessment will evaluate the child's current anxiety, anxiety related to the cast experience, anxiety while returning to the hospital or doctor, reluctance to return to the doctor, fear-related behaviors at home such as crying or sleep disturbance, and distress when remembering the cast procedure.

The primary objective of the study is to determine whether virtual reality reduces cast-related anxiety and subsequent doctor-related fear after cast application. Secondary objectives include evaluating the effect of virtual reality on procedural pain, procedural anxiety, heart rate response, caregiver anxiety, procedure duration, virtual reality tolerability, and caregiver preference for future use of virtual reality during similar procedures.

Tipo de estudo

Intervencional

Inscrição (Estimado)

120

Estágio

  • Não aplicável

Contactos e Locais

Esta seção fornece os detalhes de contato para aqueles que conduzem o estudo e informações sobre onde este estudo está sendo realizado.

Contato de estudo

Locais de estudo

  • Turquia (Türkiye)
    • Istanbul
      • Istanbul, Istanbul, Turquia (Türkiye), 34010
        • Recrutamento
        • Basaksehir Çam Ve Sakura City Hospital
        • Contato:

Critérios de participação

Os pesquisadores procuram pessoas que se encaixem em uma determinada descrição, chamada de critérios de elegibilidade. Alguns exemplos desses critérios são a condição geral de saúde de uma pessoa ou tratamentos anteriores.

Critérios de elegibilidade

Idades elegíveis para estudo

  • Filho

Aceita Voluntários Saudáveis

Não

Descrição

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Children aged 4 to 15 years.
  • Diagnosis of an isolated forearm fracture requiring cast application with traction (greenstick injuries plastic deformation if NOT over 20 degrees bayonet apposition ok if <10 years and growth remains)
  • First cast application for the current fracture episode.
  • Typically developing children without a known developmental delay or cognitive impairment that would prevent participation in the study assessments.
  • Ability of the child to understand age-appropriate instructions and respond to pain, anxiety, and fear-related assessments with caregiver assistance when necessary.
  • At least one upper extremity free of immobilization, allowing heart rate assessment during the procedure.
  • Parent or legal guardian able to provide written informed consent.
  • Child assent when appropriate according to age and local ethics committee requirements.
  • Ability and willingness of the child and caregiver to attend an approximately 30-minute blinded child psychiatry assessment 1 day after cast application.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Open forearm fracture.
  • Multiple trauma or an additional painful injury that may affect pain, anxiety, or fear assessment.
  • Need for emergency surgery, procedural sedation, or general anesthesia during cast application.
  • Previous participation in this study.
  • Known developmental delay, cognitive impairment, autism spectrum disorder with inability to complete study assessments, or severe psychiatric disorder that may interfere with questionnaire-based evaluation.
  • Known epilepsy, photosensitive seizure disorder, severe motion sickness, vestibular disorder, or any condition considered unsafe for VR headset use.
  • Visual or hearing impairment preventing use of the VR intervention or completion of the assessments.
  • Head, face, or scalp injury preventing safe or comfortable use of a VR headset.
  • Nausea, dizziness, or severe discomfort before the procedure that would prevent VR use.
  • Refusal of the child or caregiver to participate.
  • Inability to complete the 1-day child psychiatry follow-up assessment.

Plano de estudo

Esta seção fornece detalhes do plano de estudo, incluindo como o estudo é projetado e o que o estudo está medindo.

Como o estudo é projetado?

Detalhes do projeto

  • Finalidade Principal: Cuidados de suporte
  • Alocação: Randomizado
  • Modelo Intervencional: Atribuição Paralela
  • Mascaramento: Solteiro

Armas e Intervenções

Grupo de Participantes / Braço
Intervenção / Tratamento
Experimental: Virtual Reality-Assisted Cast Application
Children in this group will undergo cast application while watching a 3-minute child-friendly educational animated video through a VR headset. The video explains the cast application procedure, cast protection, and post-cast care instructions. Apart from the VR intervention, routine orthopedic care will be provided.
Comportamental: Virtual Reality-Based Educational Animation
Children assigned to the virtual reality group will watch a 3-minute child-friendly educational animated video through a VR headset during cast application. The video explains the cast application procedure, cast protection, and post-cast care instructions. The intervention is intended to reduce procedural distress through immersive visual and auditory distraction and age-appropriate education.
Comparador Ativo: Standard Cast Application
Children in this group will undergo routine cast application without virtual reality. Standard verbal explanation and routine orthopedic care will be provided by the casting team.
Outro: Standard Care
Children assigned to the control group will undergo routine cast application without virtual reality. Standard verbal explanation and routine orthopedic care will be provided by the casting team.

O que o estudo está medindo?

Medidas de resultados primários

Medida de resultado
Descrição da medida
Prazo
Child Psychiatry-Assessed Cast Experience Anxiety Score at 1 Day
Prazo: 1 day after cast application
Cast-related fear and anxiety will be assessed 1 day after cast application by a child psychiatry clinician blinded to group allocation using a structured questionnaire. The assessment will evaluate the child's fear or anxiety related to the cast experience, reluctance to return to the doctor or hospital, fear-related behaviors at home such as crying or sleep disturbance, and distress when remembering the cast procedure.
1 day after cast application

Medidas de resultados secundários

Medida de resultado
Descrição da medida
Prazo
Procedural Anxiety Score During Cast Application
Prazo: During cast application
The orthopedic casting team will assess the child's anxiety during cast application using a 0-100 score, where higher scores indicate greater procedural anxiety.
During cast application
Procedural Pain Score During Cast Application
Prazo: During cast application
The orthopedic casting team will assess the child's pain during cast application using a 0-10 score, where higher scores indicate greater procedural pain.
During cast application
Change in Heart Rate During Cast Application
Prazo: Before, during, and 2 minutes after cast application
Heart rate will be recorded before cast application, during the procedure, and after a 2-minute recovery period. Changes in heart rate from baseline to the procedural and recovery periods will be compared between groups.
Before, during, and 2 minutes after cast application
Procedure Duration
Prazo: During cast application
The duration of cast application will be recorded in minutes from the start of the cast application procedure to completion of the procedure. Procedure duration will be compared between the virtual reality group and the standard care group.
During cast application
Physician-Rated Procedural Difficulty Score
Prazo: During cast application
The physician performing the cast application will rate the procedural difficulty using a 0-10 score according to the child's cooperation, movement, crying, fear response, and overall behavioral reaction during cast application. Higher scores indicate greater procedural difficulty.
During cast application
Child Behavioral Response During Cast Application
Prazo: During cast application
The child's behavioral response during cast application will be assessed by the casting physician. The assessment will include cooperation, crying, avoidance behavior, agitation, movement during the procedure, and overall tolerance of the cast application.
During cast application
Caregiver-Rated Child Anxiety
Prazo: Immediately after cast application
Caregivers will rate how anxious they think their child is using a 0-100 score, where higher scores indicate greater child anxiety.
Immediately after cast application
Caregiver Anxiety Score
Prazo: Immediately after cast application
Caregivers will rate their own anxiety using a 0-100 score, where higher scores indicate greater caregiver anxiety.
Immediately after cast application
Caregiver-Rated Child Pain Before and After Cast Application
Prazo: Before and immediately after cast application
Caregivers will rate the child's pain before and after cast application using a 0-10 score, where higher scores indicate greater pain.
Before and immediately after cast application
Doctor-Related Fear at Follow-up
Prazo: 1 day after cast application
Doctor-related fear after the cast experience will be assessed by a blinded child psychiatry clinician using a structured questionnaire. The assessment will include anxiety while returning to the hospital or doctor and reluctance to return to the doctor after the cast experience.
1 day after cast application
Post-Procedural Fear-Related Behaviors at Home
Prazo: From cast application to 1-day follow-up
Fear-related behaviors at home after cast application will be assessed by the blinded child psychiatry clinician using caregiver and child responses. These behaviors may include fear, crying, sleep disturbance, reluctance to visit the doctor, or other procedure-related distress.
From cast application to 1-day follow-up
Distress When Remembering the Cast Procedure
Prazo: 1 day after cast application
The child's distress when remembering the cast application procedure will be assessed by the blinded child psychiatry clinician using a structured questionnaire item. Higher scores or more severe responses indicate greater procedure-related distress.
1 day after cast application
Caregiver Preference for Future Virtual Reality Use
Prazo: Immediately after cast application
Caregivers will be asked whether they would want virtual reality to be used again if a similar procedure is required. Responses will be recorded as yes, no, or undecided.
Immediately after cast application

Colaboradores e Investigadores

É aqui que você encontrará pessoas e organizações envolvidas com este estudo.

Patrocinador

Başakşehir Çam & Sakura City Hospital

Publicações e links úteis

A pessoa responsável por inserir informações sobre o estudo fornece voluntariamente essas publicações. Estes podem ser sobre qualquer coisa relacionada ao estudo.

Publicações Gerais

Datas de registro do estudo

Essas datas acompanham o progresso do registro do estudo e os envios de resumo dos resultados para ClinicalTrials.gov. Os registros do estudo e os resultados relatados são revisados ​​pela National Library of Medicine (NLM) para garantir que atendam aos padrões específicos de controle de qualidade antes de serem publicados no site público.

Datas Principais do Estudo

Início do estudo (Real)

5 de dezembro de 2025

Conclusão Primária (Estimado)

30 de agosto de 2026

Conclusão do estudo (Estimado)

1 de setembro de 2026

Datas de inscrição no estudo

Enviado pela primeira vez

27 de junho de 2026

Enviado pela primeira vez que atendeu aos critérios de CQ

1 de julho de 2026

Primeira postagem (Real)

6 de julho de 2026

Atualizações de registro de estudo

Última Atualização Postada (Real)

6 de julho de 2026

Última atualização enviada que atendeu aos critérios de controle de qualidade

1 de julho de 2026

Última verificação

1 de julho de 2026

Mais Informações

Termos relacionados a este estudo

Palavras-chave

Termos MeSH relevantes adicionais

Outros números de identificação do estudo

  • 2024KAEK11

Plano para dados de participantes individuais (IPD)

Planeja compartilhar dados de participantes individuais (IPD)?

SIM

Descrição do plano IPD

De-identified individual participant data underlying the results reported in the published article may be shared upon reasonable request. Shared data will not include names, national identification numbers, contact information, or any directly identifiable personal information. Because the study includes children and child psychiatry assessments, data sharing will be limited to anonymized research data and will require approval by the principal investigator and compliance with applicable ethics committee and institutional regulations.

Prazo de Compartilhamento de IPD

Data will become available beginning 6 months after publication of the main study results and will be available for 5 years.

Critérios de acesso de compartilhamento IPD

Data may be shared with qualified researchers who submit a scientifically sound research proposal. Requests will be reviewed by the principal investigator. Data will be shared only for approved research purposes and after completion of any required data use agreement and ethics or institutional approvals.

Tipo de informação de suporte de compartilhamento de IPD

  • PROTOCOLO DE ESTUDO
  • SEIVA
  • CIF
  • ANALYTIC_CODE
  • CSR

Informações sobre medicamentos e dispositivos, documentos de estudo

Estuda um medicamento regulamentado pela FDA dos EUA

Não

Estuda um produto de dispositivo regulamentado pela FDA dos EUA

Não

Essas informações foram obtidas diretamente do site clinicaltrials.gov sem nenhuma alteração. Se você tiver alguma solicitação para alterar, remover ou atualizar os detalhes do seu estudo, entre em contato com register@clinicaltrials.gov. Assim que uma alteração for implementada em clinicaltrials.gov, ela também será atualizada automaticamente em nosso site .

Se inscrever