Deliberate practice on virtual reality laparoscopic simulator improves quality of surgical skills

BACKGROUND Immersive virtual reality (VR) games are increasingly becoming part of everyday life. Several studies support immersive VR technology as a treatment method for mental health problems. There is however minimal research into the feasibility, prevalence, and quality of commercially available VR games on commercial platforms as tools for treatment or add on to treatment of mental health problems. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence, feasibility and quality of commercially available games related to psychotherapy on a commercially available platform. METHODS We performed a search for keywords related to diagnosis and treatment strategies of mental health problems. The search was performed during March 27th on STEAM (VR content and gaming platform). A usability scale was used as a tool to look at the interaction and usability of the games, the VR-UI-UX-8. The tool contains 8 statements about usability scored 0-10, 0 indicating “Not at all” and 10 indicating “very much so”. The score ranges from 0-80 with a higher score indicating worse usability. RESULTS In total, 516 hits were found, 371 unique games. After the games were reviewed, 83 games passed the inclusion criteria, were purchased and played. Majority of the games which were excluded were either not connected to mental health, contained violence, adult content or were in other ways irrelevant or inappropriate. The mean score for the games on the VR-UI-UX-8 was 16.5 (standard deviation 15.8) with a range from 0-68. Most relevant and feasible games were found in the search words meditation, mindfulness, and LSD. CONCLUSIONS Commercial platforms hold great potential for VR games with psychotherapeutic components. The platforms are only at the beginning of the development towards serious games, e-learning and psychotherapeutic treatments. Currently the quality and usability for clinical and at home applicability are scarce, but hold great potential.

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Virtual reality-based relaxation for enhancement of perioperative well-being and quality of life: protocol for a randomised pilot trial

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044193 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. e044193

Author(s):

Matthias Christian Schrempf ◽

Julian Quirin Petzold ◽

Hugo Vachon ◽

Morten Aagaard Petersen ◽

Johanna Gutschon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Sample Size ◽

Stress Reduction ◽

Pilot Trial ◽

Well Being ◽

Coping Resources ◽

Patients With Cancer ◽

Sample Size Calculations

IntroductionPatients with cancer undergoing surgery often suffer from reduced quality of life and various forms of distress. Untreated distress can negatively affect coping resources as well as surgical and oncological outcomes. A virtual reality-based stress reduction intervention may increase quality of life and well-being and reduce distress in the perioperative phase for patients with cancer. This pilot trial aims to explore the feasibility of the proposed intervention, assess patient acceptability and obtain estimates of effect to provide data for sample size calculations.Methods and analysisPatients with colorectal cancer and liver metastasis undergoing elective surgery will be recruited for this single-centre, randomised pilot trial with a three-arm design. A total of 54 participants will be randomised at 1:1:1 ratio to one of two intervention groups or a control receiving standard treatment. Those randomised to an intervention group will either receive perioperative virtual reality-based stress reduction exercises twice daily or listen to classical music twice daily. Primary feasibility outcomes are number and proportions of participants recruited, screened, consented and randomised. Furthermore, adherence to the intervention, compliance with the completion of the quality of life questionnaires and feasibility of implementing the trial procedures will be assessed. Secondary clinical outcomes are measurements of the effectiveness of the interventions to inform sample size calculations.Ethics and disseminationThe study protocol, the patient information and the informed consent form have been approved by the ethics committee of the Ludwigs-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany (Reference Number: 19–915). Study findings will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.Trial registration numberDRKS00020909.

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Virtual Reality in Neurorehabilitation: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10071478 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 1478

Author(s):

Alexandra Voinescu ◽

Jie Sui ◽

Danaë Stanton Fraser

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Upper Limb ◽

Umbrella Review ◽

High Quality ◽

Quality Of Evidence ◽

Upper Limb Function ◽

Meta Analyses

Neurological disorders are a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Can virtual reality (VR) based intervention, a novel technology-driven change of paradigm in rehabilitation, reduce impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions? This question is directly addressed here for the first time using an umbrella review that assessed the effectiveness and quality of evidence of VR interventions in the physical and cognitive rehabilitation of patients with stroke, traumatic brain injury and cerebral palsy, identified factors that can enhance rehabilitation outcomes and addressed safety concerns. Forty-one meta-analyses were included. The data synthesis found mostly low- or very low-quality evidence that supports the effectiveness of VR interventions. Only a limited number of comparisons were rated as having moderate and high quality of evidence, but overall, results highlight potential benefits of VR for improving the ambulation function of children with cerebral palsy, mobility, balance, upper limb function, and body structure/function and activity of people with stroke, and upper limb function of people with acquired brain injury. Customization of VR systems is one important factor linked with improved outcomes. Most studies do not address safety concerns, as only nine reviews reported adverse effects. The results provide critical recommendations for the design and implementation of future VR programs, trials and systematic reviews, including the need for high quality randomized controlled trials to test principles and mechanisms, in primary studies and in meta-analyses, in order to formulate evidence-based guidelines for designing VR-based rehabilitation interventions.

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Rehabilitation training based on virtual reality for patients with Parkinson’s disease in improving balance, quality of life, activities of daily living, and depressive symptoms: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis

Clinical Rehabilitation ◽

10.1177/0269215521995179 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 026921552199517

Author(s):

Runze Li ◽

Yanran Zhang ◽

Yunxia Jiang ◽

Mengyao Wang ◽

Wei How Darryl Ang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Activities Of Daily Living ◽

Daily Living ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Rehabilitation Training

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of rehabilitation training based on virtual reality in improving balance, quality of life, activities of daily living, and depressive symptoms of patients with Parkinson’s disease. Data sources: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, ProQuest, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, IEEE Xplore, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and VIP Information databases were searched from their inception to October 15, 2020. Trial registries, gray literature, and target journals were also searched. Methods: Eligible randomized controlled trials included studies with patients with Parkinson’s disease in rehabilitation training based on virtual reality. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3.0 software was used. Physiotherapy Evidence Database Scale and the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system were used to assess the methodological quality of individual trials and the overall quality of the evidence, respectively. Results: A total of 22 randomized controlled trials with 836 patients were included. Meta-analysis revealed that training significantly improved balance ( g = 0.66, P < 0.001), quality of life ( g = 0.28, P = 0.015), activities of daily living ( g = 0.62, P < 0.001), and depressive symptoms ( g = 0.67, P = 0.021) compared to the control group. Subgroup analysis indicated that training should utilize video game consoles. Meta-regression analyses showed that age, sessions, and frequency of training had statistically significant impacts on balance scores. Quality of individual trials was high and overall evidence ranged from very low to low. Conclusion: Virtual rehabilitation training could be adopted in healthcare institutions as supplementary training for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

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A virtual reality based surgical skills training simulator for catheter ablation with real-time and robust interaction

Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware ◽

10.1016/j.vrih.2021.08.004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 302-314

Author(s):

Haoyu Wang ◽

Jianhuang Wu

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Catheter Ablation ◽

Real Time ◽

Skills Training ◽

Surgical Skills ◽

Training Simulator ◽

Surgical Skills Training

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Virtual Reality to Help Older People in Nursing Homes: A New Way to Reduce Psychological Symptoms?

Gerontology & Geriatrics: Research ◽

10.26420/gerontolgeriatrres.2021.1048 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Vaillant Ciszewicz AJ ◽

◽

Guerin O ◽

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Older Adults ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Nursing Homes ◽

Older People ◽

Psychological Symptoms ◽

Psychological Disorders ◽

Innovative Approach ◽

Older Population

Older people living in nursing homes often present with psychological symptoms such as depression, anxiety and apathy. Numerous studies focused on the effects of Virtual Reality (VR) in the older population. This innovative approach could lead to a significant reduction in psychological disorders in older adults and improve their quality of life.

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The Perceptual Quality of the Oculus Rift for Immersive Virtual Reality

Human-Computer Interaction ◽

10.1080/07370024.2016.1243478 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 51-82 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Manuela Chessa ◽

Guido Maiello ◽

Alessia Borsari ◽

Peter J. Bex

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Perceptual Quality ◽

Immersive Virtual Reality ◽

Oculus Rift

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Differentiating Between Two Models of Motor Lateralization

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.90349.2008 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 100 (2) ◽

pp. 565-575 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

Britne A. Shabbott ◽

Robert L. Sainburg

Keyword(s):

Virtual Reality ◽

Dominant Hemisphere ◽

Virtual Reality Environment ◽

Correction Model ◽

Rotation Direction ◽

Coordination Requirements ◽

Feedback Correction ◽

Dynamic Dominance

This study was designed to differentiate between two models of motor lateralization: “feedback corrections” and dynamic dominance. Whereas the feedback correction hypothesis suggests that handedness reflects a dominant hemisphere advantage for visual-mediated correction processes, dynamic dominance proposes that each hemisphere has become specialized for distinct aspects of control. This model suggests that the dominant hemisphere is specialized for controlling task dynamics, as required for coordinating efficient trajectories, and the nondominant hemisphere is specialized for controlling limb impedance, as required for maintaining stable postures. To differentiate between these two models, we examined whether visuomotor corrections are mediated differently for the nondominant and dominant arms. Participants performed targeted reaches in a virtual reality environment in which visuomotor rotations occurred in two directions that elicited corrections with different coordination requirements. The feedback correction model predicts a dominant arm advantage for the timing and accuracy of corrections in both directions. Dynamic dominance predicts that correction timing and accuracy will be similar for both arms, but that interlimb differences in the quality of corrections will depend on the coordination requirements, and thus, direction of corrections. Our results indicated that correction time and accuracy did not depend on arm. However, correction quality, as reflected by trajectory curvature, depended on both arm and rotation direction. Nondominant trajectories were systematically more curvilinear than dominant trajectories for corrections with the highest coordination requirement. These results support the dynamic dominance hypothesis.

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Effects of virtual reality therapy on upper limb function after stroke and the role of neuroimaging as a predictor of a better response

Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria ◽

10.1590/0004-282x20180104 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 76 (10) ◽

pp. 654-662 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Maicon Gabriel Gonçalves ◽

Mariana Floriano Luiza Piva ◽

Carlos Leonardo Sacomani Marques ◽

Rafael Dalle Molle da Costa ◽

Rodrigo Bazan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Upper Limb ◽

Internal Capsule ◽

Functional Independence ◽

Reality Therapy ◽

Limb Function ◽

Virtual Reality Therapy ◽

Upper Limb Function

ABSTRACT Background: Virtual reality therapy (VRT) is an interactive intervention that induces neuroplasticity. The aim was to evaluate the effects of VRT associated with conventional rehabilitation for an upper limb after stroke, and the neuroimaging predictors of a better response to VRT. Methods: Patients with stroke were selected, and clinical neurological, upper limb function, and quality of life were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using a linear model comparing pre- and post-VRT. Lesions were segmented in the post-stroke computed tomography. A voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping approach was used to investigate the relationship between the lesion and upper limb function. Results: Eighteen patients were studied (55.5 ± 13.9 years of age). Quality of life, functional independence, and dexterity of the upper limb showed improvement after VRT (p < 0.001). Neuroimaging analysis showed negative correlations between the internal capsule lesion and functional recovery. Conclusion: VRT showed benefits for patients with stroke, but when there was an internal capsule lesion, a worse response was observed.

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