IntroductionCurrent clinical applications of virtual reality (VR) provide patients with transient pain relief during acutely painful events by redirecting attention. Biofeedback (BF) is a mind–body therapy that effectively produces sustained pain reduction, but there are obstacles to its routine use. Combined, BF-based VR (VR-BF) may increase accessibility while enhancing the benefits of BF. VR-BF has yet to be employed in perioperative care, and as such, no defined treatment protocol for VR-BF exists. The primary aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of the perioperative use of VR-BF in children and adolescents. The secondary aims are to assess the acceptability of VR-BF and to collect pilot efficacy data.Methods and analysisThis is a single-centre, randomised controlled pilot clinical trial. A total of 70 patients (12–18 years) scheduled for surgery anticipated to cause moderate to severe pain with ≥1 night of hospital admission will be randomised to one of two study arms (VR-BF or control). Participants randomised to VR-BF (n=35) will use the ForeVR VR platform to engage their breathing in gamified VR applications. Participants randomised to control (n=35) will interact with a pain reflection app,Manage My Pain. The primary outcome is feasibility of VR-BF use in adolescents undergoing surgery as assessed through recruitment, enrolment, retention and adherence to the protocol. Secondary outcomes are acceptability of VR-BF and pilot efficacy measures, including pain, anxiety and opioid consumption.Ethics and disseminationThe protocol was approved by the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Institutional Review Board (IRB #STUDY00002080). Patient recruitment begins in March 2023. Written informed consent is obtained for all participants. All information acquired will be disseminated via scientific meetings and published in peer-reviewed journals. Data will be available per request and results will be posted on ClinicalTrials.gov.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT04943874).
Purpose of reviewDue to increased interest in opioid-sparing multimodal analgesic strategies both inside and outside of the operating room, anaesthesiologists have started to look towards regional anaesthesia as well as nonpharmacological pain-reducing techniques. The purpose of this article is to discuss current trends and recent developments in regional anaesthesia and virtual reality for paediatric pain management.Recent findingsThe development of novel fascial plane blocks has expanded regional options for anaesthesiologists, especially when neuraxial anaesthesia is not a viable or straightforward option. Other regional techniques, such as spinal anaesthesia and continuous epidural analgesia for infants and neonates, are becoming more popular, as more paediatric anaesthesiologists become familiar with these techniques. Virtual reality for paediatric pain management is a relatively new area of study that has shown promise, but more research needs to be done before widespread adoption of this practice becomes a reality. Various preexisting pain-reducing strategies such as distraction and biofeedback are being integrated with virtual reality to help optimize its effect on pain and anxiety for paediatric patients.SummaryRegional anaesthesia and virtual reality are valuable tools that serve to alleviate pain in paediatric patients. Advances are being made within both fields in various healthcare settings for different types of pain. Over the next few years, they will likely both play an increasing role in paediatric pain management.
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