Use of Virtual Reality for Reducing Pain and Anxiety After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of virtual reality on pain and anxiety in patients who had undergone laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.The study was conducted between September 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019, in the surgical intensive care unit at a government hospital. The participants were 110 patients who met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate in the study. According to the study procedure, while the control group received standard care, the intervention group watched a virtual reality video. Data were collected with a personal information form, the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, and the Faces Anxiety Scale.The mean post-test Numeric Pain Rating Scale score was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (p < .001). However, the mean Faces Anxiety Scale scores did not differ significantly between the groups (p = .087).Virtual reality can effectively reduce pain and anxiety in patients who have undergone laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in intensive care units.