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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2024 Oct;21(10):e70082.
doi: 10.1111/iwj.70082.

Virtual reality as a promising method of pain relief in patients with venous leg ulcers

Kinga Spyrka  1 , Ewa Rojczyk  1   2 , Jakub Brela  1 , Aleksander Sieroń  1 , Marek Kucharzewski  1   3
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Virtual reality as a promising method of pain relief in patients with venous leg ulcers

Kinga Spyrka et al. Int Wound J. 2024 Oct.

Abstract

Pain in patients suffering from hard-to-heal wounds is a serious problem that hinders the healing process and affects their quality of life. Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly being used for pain relief. The aim of the study was to assess whether the use of VR during mechanical cleansing of venous leg ulcers would result in a reduction in patients' pain. Sixty patients were randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group included patients who used VR goggles during wound cleansing, and the control group included patients who did not use such equipment during wound cleansing. The Oculus Quest 2 VR Goggles were used in the experiment. After wound cleaning, the patient assessed the intensity of his pain on a numerical pain rating scale from 0 to 10 points. The difference between the intensity of pain during wound cleansing in patients from the experimental and control group turned out to be statistically significant (p < 0.001). It was on average 1.13 ± 0.68 points in the experimental group, and in the case of people from the control group, it was 4.73 ± 1.2 points. To conclude, the use of VR in patients with venous leg ulcers reduces pain during wound cleansing.

Keywords: debridement; leg ulcer; pain; varicose ulcer; virtual reality.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
A patient in virtual reality during a wound debridement procedure.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Pain intensity analysis in people from the experimental group dependant on the gender. Values are expressed as means ± standard deviation (SD). Mann–Whitney U‐test was used for statistical analysis (males vs. females). p < 0.05 is considered as statistically significant (*). NRS, Numerical Rating Scale.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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