Virtual reality headsets have been adopted in German hospitals as a way to reduce patient anxiety during medical procedures, following the example of a study conducted at the University of Colorado.
VR headset used during surgery in a Bavarian hospital
After a successful trial period in a Bavarian hospital, doctors are experimenting with the use of VR headsets, hoping to minimize patient anxiety during surgery using local anesthesia.
Physicians believe VR headsets can help calm patients during minor surgeries that require local anesthesia if they are feeling anxious or frightened. A headset allows you to move between different virtual rooms during surgery. Patients at her Fichtelgebirge, a Bavarian hospital, can also watch children’s films, concerts and series, and listen to music.
This method of sedation was first tried and employed in a study at the University of Colorado that showed that if a VR headset could be used to distract a patient during hand surgery, drugs to sedate the patient could be used. It was found that it was no longer necessary to administer as much and could be dangerous.
VR has no sedative risks
If the patient has minor surgery, a local anesthetic is given to numb the nerves around the surgical site. In addition to this, sedatives may be used to put the patient in a drowsy state to reduce the risk of panicking at a critical moment.
However, sedatives come with risks. This is especially true for the elderly and infirm. It can slow your breathing, lower your body temperature, and lower your blood pressure. Sedatives can also cause respiratory arrest if the dose is too high. For these reasons, doctors want her to transition to VR sedation. But for now, sedatives will remain commonplace, especially in preparation for general anesthesia.
Thumb image credit: Jacob Lund/Shutterstock.com
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