Authors: (including presenting author): :
WO SY(1), HO HS(1), KWOK YK(1), HUNG TT(1), WONG CK(1), AU WH(1), LAI WS(1), LAM YF(1),NG ML(1), CHOW CC(1)
Affiliation: :
(1) Department of Medicine, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital
Keyword 5: :
Catheter insertion
Introduction: :
Peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter insertion often causes significant pain and anxiety, even with local anesthesia. Conventional pain management may be insufficient for patient comfort during this procedure. Recent evidence supports virtual reality (VR) hypnosis as a promising non-pharmacological adjunct, leveraging immersive environments and guided relaxation to enhance analgesia and reduce procedural distress.
Objectives: :
To evaluate VR hypnosis effectiveness in reducing pain and anxiety during PD catheter insertion under local anesthesia.
Methodology: :
Hypno VR was applied to 10 patients with PD catheter insertion from September 2024 to April 2025, using convenience sampling. Eligible consenting patients received wireless VR headsets delivering guided hypnosis with immersive scenes (ocean diving, forests, snowy mountains) and soothing audio before local anesthesia and throughout catheter placement. Outcomes including post-procedure Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) pain scores, short-form State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6) for pre/post anxiety measures, 5-point satisfaction Likert scale, and lignocaine usage from procedural records were assessed.
Result & Outcome: :
Hypno VR produced clinically meaningful benefits, with consistent improvements across pain, anxiety, drug use, and satisfaction outcomes. Participants in the VR group reported substantially lower pain score, with a mean NRS score of 4.1 versus 7.0 in the control group, representing about a 41% reduction in perceived pain. STAI-6 anxiety declined 2.4 points in the VR group versus 1.0 point in the control group. This 2.4-fold difference proved that VR was effective in reducing procedure-related stress. Moreover, lignocaine usage decreased by 10.8% in the VR group (compared to the control group), implying that VR hypnosis enhanced pain control. Patient satisfaction averaged 4.3 out of 5. Staff reported calmer patients with reduced intraoperative movement, facilitating smoother procedures in the VR group. No adverse events occurred, supporting VR hypnosis as a safe, feasible, and well-tolerated adjunct to standard care in this clinical context. VR hypnosis is an effective adjunct for managing pain and anxiety during PD catheter insertion, enhancing patient comfort and overall procedural experience. By combining distraction with relaxation, it can reduce distress and improve tolerance, decrease reliance on pharmacological interventions and lower healthcare costs linked to managing procedural pain and anxiety. Also, the positive results of this study support further exploration of VR hypnosis as a complementary, non-pharmacological means to promote holistic, patient-centered care in other medical procedures.
