Feasibility and potential effect of a low-cost virtual reality system on reducing pain and anxiety in adult burn injury patients during physiotherapy in a developing country

Abstract 

Objective

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the feasibility and potential effect of a low-cost VR system (eMagin Z800 3DVisor), used in conjunction with pharmacological analgesia, on reducing pain and anxiety in adult burn patients undergoing physiotherapy treatment, compared to pharmacologic analgesia alone at a South African hospital.

Study design

Single-blind, within-subject study design.

Methods

Pain and anxiety outcome measures were measured by a blinded assessor using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale and Burn Specific Pain and Anxiety Scale. Box-and-whisker plot method, Chi-square tests as well as the Student's paired t-test were used to analyze data.

Main findings

Eleven eligible adult burn patients consented to participate in this study (3 female, 8 male; median age 33 years: range 23–54 years). A marginal (p=0.06) to insignificant (p=0.13) difference between the two sessions (analgesia with VR and analgesia without VR) in reducing pain was found. No significant difference (p=0.58) was found between the two sessions (analgesia with VR and analgesia without VR) for anxiety.

Conclusion

There seems to be a trend that the low-cost VR system, when added to routine pharmacological analgesics, is a safe technique and could be of considerable benefit if implemented into the pain management regime of burn units at a South African hospital.

Keywords: Virtual reality, Burn injury, Adults, Physiotherapy, Pain, Anxiety