Using virtual reality and scents to reduce pain and anxiety after heart surgery

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This study evaluates a multimodal intervention combining virtual reality and olfactory stimuli to alleviate postoperative pain and anxiety in patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery. The intervention aims to provide an alternative to traditional opioid and benzodiazepine treatments, which can have significant side effects. Participants will be immersed in a computer-generated environment while experiencing specific scents, with the goal of enhancing pain tolerance and reducing anxiety levels. The study will assess the feasibility and preliminary effects of this innovative approach on patient outcomes.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Be scheduled to undergo any one of the 5 major types of cardiothoracic surgical operations: coronary artery bypass grafting, aortic valve replacement, aortic valve repair, lung resection, and esophagectomy
* Age \> 18
* No cognitive or psychiatric conditions prohibiting study consent or participation.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Clinical signs of cardiogenic shock at time of surgery
* Severe irreversible hypertension
* Congenital heart disease
* Chronic renal insufficiency defined by Cr ≥ 2.5 or chronic renal replacement therapy
* Evidence of cirrhosis or hepatic synthetic failure
* Patients with odor allergies or anosmia (lost their sense of smell)

Where it's running

• Massachusetts General Hospital
  Boston, Massachusetts, United States Recruiting

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

• Serratus vs Erector Spinae Block for Pain After Unilateral Breast Surgery

  This trial tests whether serratus posterior superior intercostal plane block or erector spinae plane block reduces chronic pain 3 months after unilateral breast surgery in adult women.

  Recruiting Kocaeli City Hospital · İzmit, Kocaeli · NCT07674836

• Ketamine during orthopedic trauma surgery to reduce pain, opioid use, and improve mood

  This study will try a single dose of ketamine during surgery to see if it lowers pain and opioid needs and improves depression and PTSD symptoms in adults having major orthopedic trauma surgery.

  Recruiting at 2 sites Phase 4 Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center · Lubbock, Texas and 1 other locations · NCT06903819

• Comparing two pain management techniques for thoracotomy surgery

  This study is testing two different pain management techniques for patients having thoracotomy surgery to see which one helps reduce the need for opioids.

  Recruiting Kocaeli University · Kocaeli · NCT06507293

• Examining the link between sex hormones, pain after surgery, and opioid use

  This study is trying to see if levels of sex hormones like testosterone affect pain and opioid use in young girls aged 11-16 after they have orthopedic surgery.

  Recruiting Washington University School of Medicine · St Louis, Missouri · NCT06023225

• Opioid-free anesthesia for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

  This study is testing a new way to manage pain during and after surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair without using opioids, to see if it helps patients recover better.

  Recruiting Phase 4 University of Crete · Heraklion, Crete · NCT04894864

• Program to reduce opioid use in chronic pain patients after surgery

  This study is testing a new program to help chronic pain patients use less opioids after surgery by providing pain education and support tools.

  Recruiting University Health Network, Toronto · Toronto, Ontario · NCT03675386

How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.