Using Virtual Reality Technology to Improve Patient Experience and Quality of Care During Brachytherapy
University of Arkansas
Summary
The primary objective is to demonstrate the feasibility of incorporating VR distraction into the brachytherapy and radiotherapy clinical workflow. The secondary objective is to determine if VR distraction during brachytherapy treatment for cervical cancer improves subjects' satisfaction, procedural/acute pain, and need for analgesics or anxiolytics.
Description
This will be a prospective pilot study conducted at UAMS. All subjects will experience VR distraction using a crossover design in which each subject receives four rounds of brachytherapy: two rounds with VR distraction and two rounds without VR distraction. Brachytherapy will be conducted per SoC workflow. Subjects will be placed into four treatment-sequence groups in a 1:1:1:1 allocation ratio via permuted block randomization with randomized block sizes of four or eight. The four treatment-sequence groups will follow the four-session treatment schedules outlined below, in which "V" denotes t…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Female, ≥ 18 years of age * Histopathologic diagnosis of gynecologic cancer (endometrial, cervical, vaginal, vulvar) that requires intracavitary brachytherapy with a tandem or interstitial brachytherapy * Able to provide written consent Exclusion Criteria: * Severe vision or hearing problems that may hinder the ability to see or hear clearly through the VR headset or other condition that may interfere with the placement of the VR headset such as a head, ear or facial wound * History of seizure disorder, severe motion sickness, dizziness, or migraine headaches precipita…
Interventions
- DeviceThe Oculus Quest 2 Virtual Reality Headset
The hardware includes the wireless headset with integrated headphones which will block the sight and sounds of the clinical setting as well as the hand controllers for the interactive VR experience, which will be delivered through any of three VR software options (subject may choose one or more from the following options): * Titans of Space® PLUS developed by Drash VR, LLC (Murrieta, CA, USA) * TRIPP® developed by TRIPP, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA, USA) * Nature Treks VR published by Greener Games (Ironbridge, England, UK)
Location
- University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle Rock, Arkansas