Virtual reality to reduce pain and anxiety during interventional radiology procedures

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 observational project enrolls children aged 8 years and older undergoing interventional radiology procedures and offers commercial VR headsets (Meta Oculus Quest Pro, Pico 4, Pico G3) during the procedure. Pain and procedural anxiety will be measured in children, and caregivers will report their perception of child distress and satisfaction with the experience. Participants receiving VR will be compared with those receiving the facility's standard of care to examine differences in reported pain, anxiety, and caregiver satisfaction. The study excludes children with developmental delays and those taking pain or anxiolytic medications and is conducted at a single pediatric tertiary center.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Children who are at least 8 years old
* Children who are English speaking with caregivers who are English speaking or Spanish speaking.
* Children who are undergoing an interventional radiology procedure are eligible to participate in this project.
* Only children who are in the normal range of development will be recruited for this study. This will be assessed by report from the parents. The rationale for excluding patients with developmental delay is that due to their cognitive impairments, such children react to the stressors of surgery differently than do children without such developmental delay. It is unclear how such children would use the interventions included in this study, and it is likely that their responses on baseline and outcome measures will differ from children of normal developmental parameters.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Children who are currently taking pain medication or anxiolytic medication will be excluded from this study.
* Children with a psychiatric disorder, organic brain syndrome, intellectual disability, or other known cognitive/neurological disorders
* Children with visual, auditory, or tactile deficits that would interfere with the ability to complete the experimental tasks
* Children with a history of seizure disorder.
* Children currently sick with flu-like symptoms or experiencing a headache or earache.
* Children with known or suspected motion sickness.
* Children with cochlear implants or pacemakers.

Where it's running

• Children's Hospital Los Angeles
  Los Angeles, California, United States Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Jeffrey Gold, PhD — Children's Hospital Los Angeles
• Study coordinator: Saloni M Dangoria
• Email: sdangoria@chla.usc.edu
• Phone: (323) 361-4342

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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.