VR Study Virtual Reality for Patients During Arteriovenous Fistula Surgery

Patients undergoing arterio-venous fistula commonly experience pain and anxiety due to their pre-operative circumstances and the fact that they remain conscious throughout the surgery. It is well documented that perioperative pain and anxiety can cause detrimental effects on patient outcomes and satisfaction. Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly being investigated as an adjunctive tool in various medical and surgical specialties. Current Evidence suggests that VR can be effective in managing both acute and chronic pain, as well as reducing pain, anxiety, stress, and the need for anesthetic agents during surgery. We hypothesize that using VR during AVF surgery will lead to a reduction in anesthetic doses, decreased patient anxiety and pain, and be favorably received by both surgeons and anesthetists.