The Effect of Virtual Reality Glasse on Pain and Anxiety During Episiotomy Repair

Summary

Episiotomy is one of the common surgical operations that can cause anxiety in women and have side effects such as pain. Nerve blockades with analgesic effects such as lidocaine used during episiotomy repair or the use of tranquilizers and sleep-inducing drugs used to reduce anxiety during this procedure may have side effects. Nowadays, the trends towards non-medical methods (virtual reality glasses, praying, distraction, music therapy) in addition to medical methods during episiotomy repair are increasing due to the inevitable nature of these methods and the absence of side effects. In the study, it is stated that women will prefer non-medical methods (such as distraction or prayer) to alleviate pain or anxiety. It is important for midwives to have knowledge about these alternative methods (music therapy, virtual reality glasses, distraction, massage, acupressure, praying) to reduce the pain and anxiety that occurs during episiotomy repair. A new technology, virtual reality (VR), helps users connect to an environment that simulates reality, reducing pain by distracting them from the real world through computers or other devices. Although initially considered a technology only for the entertainment industry, its field of application has grown over the past decade to include various clinical areas such as pain management, physical rehabilitation, and psychiatric disorders. VR is suitable for clinical use and is a non-invasive and drug-free analgesic method. Its use in obstetrics is very new. Virtual reality glasses are recognized as a safe, inexpensive and effective non-pharmacological anxiolytic agent that allows for the reduction of regular pharmacological sedative doses due to their effect on anxiety and pain perception. Skin-to-skin contact is defined by the World Health Organization as the basic component of postnatal care. Skin-to-skin contact helps to reduce the pain felt during episiotomy repair in the mother and in the postpartum period. This research was planned to determine the effect of virtual reality glasses on pain and anxiety during episiotomy repair.

Conditions

• Anxiety
• Pain
• Episiotomy Wound
• Midwifery

Interventions

OTHER

VR group

Women in this group will wear virtual reality glasses (15-20 minutes) until the episiotomy repair begins and ends. At the same time, the hospital protocol will be applied to this group. Before episiotomy repair, each woman is given superficial perineal anesthesia with a 4 ml ampoule of Jetocaine (ADEKA®, lidocaine HCl 40 mg/2 mL, epinephrine 0.025 mg/2 mL). This dose is repeated if necessary.

OTHER

Skin to skin group

For women in this group, a warm sterile operating room towel will be placed on the newborn until the episiotomy repair begins and ends, so that her naked body remains on the mother's chest.At the same time, the hospital protocol will be applied to this group. Before episiotomy repair, each woman is given superficial perineal anesthesia with a 4 ml ampoule of Jetocaine (ADEKA®, lidocaine HCl 40 mg/2 mL, epinephrine 0.025 mg/2 mL). This dose is repeated if necessary.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Kırklareli University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• AYCA SOLT KIRCA, Phd · Kırklareli University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

20 Years

Max Age

40 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-02-15

Primary Completion

2022-10-10

Completion

2022-10-10

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations