Model System:

Burn

Reference Type:

JA

Accession No.:

Journal:


International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

, 13, 1, 12-Jan

Publication Website:

Abstract:

Immersive virtual reality (VR) has proved to be potentially valuable as a pain control
technique for patients with severe burns undergoing wound care and physical therapy.
Recent studies have shown that single, 3-min visits to a virtual world can dramatically
reduce the amount of pain experienced duringwoundcare, and the illusion of going
inside the computer-generated world helps make VR analgesia unusually
effective. This case study explored whether VR continues to reduce pain when the duration
and frequency of VR treatments are increased to more practical levels.Apatient
with deep flash burns covering 42% of his body spent varying amounts of time performing
physical therapy with and without virtual reality. Five subjective pain ratings for each treatment condition served as the dependent measures. The magnitude of
pain reduction with VR, and the patient’s illusion of "going into" the virtual world did
not diminish with repeated administration and longer treatment durations. Practical
implications are discussed. The results of this study may be examined in more detail at
www.hitl.washington.edu/projects/burn/.

Author(s):


Hoffman, H.G., Patterson, D.R., Carrougher, G.J., Nakamura, D., Moore, M., Garcia-Palacios, A., Furness, T.A.

Participating Centers: