Using virtual reality and biofeedback to manage pain after surgery in kids
Official title: Feasibility and acceptability of biofeedback-based virtual reality for postoperative pain management in children and adolescents
Funded at Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware · NIH-11044480 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring a fun new way to help kids and teens feel better after surgery by using virtual reality and biofeedback, so they can manage their pain on their own and recover more comfortably.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Wilmington, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $140,454 |
| NIH project number | 7R34AT011218-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11044480 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children and adolescents who are scheduled to undergo surgery and may experience postoperative pain.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not undergoing surgery or those who do not respond to biofeedback therapies may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a new approach to help children and adolescents manage postoperative pain using a combination of biofeedback and virtual reality. By integrating these two methods, the study aims to create an engaging and less resource-intensive therapy that children can use independently. The goal is to assess how well this innovative therapy can be implemented in clinical settings and to determine the best ways to use it before and after surgery. This approach seeks to enhance the effectiveness of pain management during recovery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a novel, effective, and engaging method for managing postoperative pain in children, potentially reducing their reliance on medication.
How similar studies have gone: While biofeedback and virtual reality have shown promise individually in pain management, the combined approach of VR and biofeedback in postoperative care is novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware
Wilmington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Olbrecht, Vanessa Anne — Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware
- Study coordinator: Olbrecht, Vanessa Anne
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.