The effect of virtual reality glasses used during chest tube removal following open-heart surgery on pain and hemodynamic parameters: a randomized controlled trial.
5 affiliations
- 1Faculty of Nursing, Surgical Nursing Department, Mersin University, Mersin , Türkiye. [email protected].
- 2Faculty of Health Sciences, Surgical Nursing Department, Cukurova University, Adana , Türkiye.
- 3Faculty of Nursing, Surgical Nursing Department, Professor, Mersin University, Mersin , Türkiye.
- 4Faculty of Health Sciences, Surgical Nursing Department, Professor, Cukurova University, Adana, Türkiye.
- 5Cardiovascular Surgery Intensive Care Unit, Mersin University Hospital,, Mersin, Türkiye.
Abstract
Background
Chest tube removal (CTR) following open-heart surgery is a painful procedure that may adversely affect patients' hemodynamic parameters.Purpose
This study aimed to determine the effect of virtual reality glasses (VRG) used during chest tube removal after open-heart surgery on pain levels and hemodynamic parameters.Methods
This prospective, two-arm (1:1), randomized controlled trial included 82 patients undergoing open-heart surgery. Patients in the VRG group (n = 41) were exposed to relaxing forest-walk-themed virtual reality content starting five minutes before CTR and continuing for five minutes after the procedure. The control group (n = 41) received routine care without any additional intervention. Pain levels were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and hemodynamic parameters-systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂)-were recorded before CTR, immediately after, and at 5, 15, and 30 min post-procedure.Results
A significant group × time interaction was observed for pain (p = 0.003). After adjustment for baseline pain and multiple comparisons, pain was significantly lower in the VRG group than in the control group immediately after CTR (adjusted mean difference [VRG - Control]: -1.26, 95% CI: -1.85 to - 0.68; adjusted p < 0.001), whereas no significant between-group differences were observed at 5, 15, or 30 min. A significant group × time interaction was also observed for SpO₂ (p < 0.001), with significantly higher SpO₂ in the VRG group immediately after CTR (adjusted mean difference: 2.70, 95% CI: 1.88 to 3.53; adjusted p < 0.001). No significant group × time interactions were observed for SBP, DBP, HR, or RR.Conclusion
VRG use during CTR was associated with lower pain immediately after the procedure and higher SpO₂ immediately after CTR. No significant effects were observed for SBP, DBP, HR, or RR. These findings suggest that VRG may be a useful non-pharmacological adjunct for short-term pain management during CTR following open-heart surgery. Further studies are needed to confirm its effects on oxygenation and other hemodynamic parameters.Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05585853) first submitted on October 12, 2022, and first posted on October 19, 2022.
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BibTeX
@article{yanik2026effect,
title = {{The effect of virtual reality glasses used during chest tube removal following open-heart surgery on pain and hemodynamic parameters: a randomized controlled trial.}},
author = {Tuğba Çam Yanik and Muaz Gülşen and Gülay Altun Uğraş and Sevban Arslan and Firdevs Ebru Özdemi̇r},
journal = {BMC cardiovascular disorders},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1186/s12872-026-06778-6},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958055},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - The effect of virtual reality glasses used during chest tube removal following open-heart surgery on pain and hemodynamic parameters: a randomized controlled trial.
AU - Tuğba Çam Yanik
AU - Muaz Gülşen
AU - Gülay Altun Uğraş
AU - Sevban Arslan
AU - Firdevs Ebru Özdemi̇r
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/08
JO - BMC cardiovascular disorders
DO - 10.1186/s12872-026-06778-6
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958055
AB - Background Chest tube removal (CTR) following open-heart surgery is a painful procedure that may adversely affect patients' hemodynamic parameters.Purpose This study aimed to determine the effect of virtual reality glasses (VRG) used during chest tube removal after open-heart surgery on pain levels and hemodynamic parameters.Methods This prospective, two-arm (1:1), randomized controlled trial included 82 patients undergoing open-heart surgery. Patients in the VRG group (n = 41) were exposed to relaxing forest-walk-themed virtual reality content starting five minutes before CTR and continuing for five minutes after the procedure. The control group (n = 41) received routine care without any additional intervention. Pain levels were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and hemodynamic parameters-systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂)-were recorded before CTR, immediately after, and at 5, 15, and 30 min post-procedure.Results A significant group × time interaction was observed for pain (p = 0.003). After adjustment for baseline pain and multiple comparisons, pain was significantly lower in the VRG group than in the control group immediately after CTR (adjusted mean difference [VRG - Control]: -1.26, 95% CI: -1.85 to - 0.68; adjusted p < 0.001), whereas no significant between-group differences were observed at 5, 15, or 30 min. A significant group × time interaction was also observed for SpO₂ (p < 0.001), with significantly higher SpO₂ in the VRG group immediately after CTR (adjusted mean difference: 2.70, 95% CI: 1.88 to 3.53; adjusted p < 0.001). No significant group × time interactions were observed for SBP, DBP, HR, or RR.Conclusion VRG use during CTR was associated with lower pain immediately after the procedure and higher SpO₂ immediately after CTR. No significant effects were observed for SBP, DBP, HR, or RR. These findings suggest that VRG may be a useful non-pharmacological adjunct for short-term pain management during CTR following open-heart surgery. Further studies are needed to confirm its effects on oxygenation and other hemodynamic parameters.Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05585853) first submitted on October 12, 2022, and first posted on October 19, 2022.
SN - 1471-2261
ER -