Virtual Reality in Postoperative Acute Pain Management in Thoracic Surgery (VRThx)

Thoracic surgical procedures can often result in postoperative pain. Traditional methods of pain management, such as medication, have limitations in terms of their efficacy and potential side effects. Therefore, there is a need for alternative approaches that can effectively alleviate postoperative pain while minimizing medication use. Virtual reality (VR) technology has gained attention as a potential non-pharmacological intervention for pain management. There is limited research specifically focusing on the use of VR in the context of thoracic surgery. This study is to investigate the effectiveness of VR headsets in reducing postoperative pain intensity among patients after having undergone thoracic surgical procedures. To enhance the objectivity of the investigation, objective parameters alongside subjective assessments of pain will be incorporated. While self-reported measures are valuable, they can be subjective and influenced by individual perception. Therefore, the subjective assessments will be complemented by objective measurements to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the pain experience and its modulation through the VR intervention.