Surgery and Virtual Reality: Interest of Virtual Reality in Oncology for Procedures Under Local Anesthesia in the Operating Room

Last updated: October 1, 2025
Sponsor: Institut Cancerologie de l'Ouest
Overall Status: Completed

Phase

N/A

Condition

Neoplasms

Cancer

Treatment

Virtual reality headset

Clinical Study ID

NCT05287854
ICO-2021-14
  • Ages > 18
  • All Genders

Study Summary

Virtual Reality (VR) is an interactive and immersive technology that allows you to evolve in a three-dimensional environment created by computer. It appeals to the senses of people by reproducing universes close to reality or imaginary. This process is currently the subject of numerous studies in the field of health because it is a non-invasive tool, a non-pharmacological alternative for the management of pain, anxiety and patient satisfaction.

People with cancer can have a complex care pathway with psychological, anxiety-provoking and potentially painful repercussions. It is for these reasons that offering VR in the operating room for certain procedures under local anesthesia would improve the experience and comfort of care.

BOREV study will assess the interest of VR on pain for procedures under local anesthesia in the operating room in the context of cancer care. The software used, called HypnoVR©, is a medical device, developed specifically for the management of anxiety and pain through hypnosis, sophrology and relaxation techniques.

The main objective of this study is to compare the maximum pain felt with and without RV for different oncological surgical procedures performed under local anesthesia including anesthetic procedures and surgical procedures. The secondary objectives that will support this research are: the evaluation of the level of anxiety, the link with the pain component via the Analgesia Nociception Index (ANI), as well as the satisfaction of the patient and the operator.

According to the results obtained, the VR device could lead to a change in practice in the management of patients and thus be offered on a larger scale within the framework of the management of pain and anxiety

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patient aged 18 or more

  • Patient eligible for surgery under local anaesthesia in the operating room

  • Written informed consent obtained from the patient

  • Patient has valid health insurance

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Surgical procedure requiring complementary anaesthetic products such as intravenoussedation, nitrous oxide

  • Patient requiring an epidural, a paravertebral block

  • Patient with known allergy(ies) to local anaesthetics

  • Patient with schizophrenia, seizure disorder

  • For the investigation site with PhysioDoloris monitor (MDMS): Patient withcontraindications to ANI monitoring:

Known heart rhythm disorder (complete arrhythmia by atrial fibrillation) Pacemaker Apnea

  • Administration of a sedative premedication in the 6 hours before the surgery

  • Visually or hearing impaired patient without a hearing aid

  • Patient deprived of liberty or under guardianship

Study Design

Total Participants: 42
Treatment Group(s): 1
Primary Treatment: Virtual reality headset
Phase:
Study Start date:
June 16, 2022
Estimated Completion Date:
June 27, 2023

Study Description

Description of the modalities for recruiting :

During the preoperative consultation, the surgeon or anesthesiologist presents the study to the patient with a cancer requiring a surgery under local anesthesia. He gives the patient the consent form to participate in the study.

Once the consent form has been signed by the patient and the investigator, the investigator prescribes a screening test before surgery.

Patients registration and randomization :

Any patient who has signed an informed consent form (ICF) must be registered in the eCRF in order to be assigned a patient number.

Randomization will be centralized and performed via the eCRF. Patients will be randomly assigned (1:1) at the latest on the day of the surgery.

Experimental group : Local anaesthesia + virtual reality versus Control group : Anesthesia only.

Surgery period :

Regardless of the group, all patients :

  • Will receive local anaesthesia according to the standard procedure required for the operation

  • Hemodynamic parameters will be measured

  • Will be questioned before, immediately after, and at a distance from the surgical procedure on their state of anxiety and immediately after the surgical procedure on the maximum pain felt during the procedure,

  • Will be questioned on their satisfaction at the end of surgery.

ANI will be measured before, during and after the operation in patients included at the Saint Herblain site.

A virtual reality headset will be positioned on the patient before the start of the surgical procedure.

Connect with a study center

  • ICO

    Angers, 49055
    France

    Site Not Available

  • ICO

    Angers 3037656, 49055
    France

    Site Not Available

  • ICO

    Saint-Herblain, 44805
    France

    Site Not Available

  • ICO

    Saint-Herblain 2979590, 44805
    France

    Site Not Available

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