Reducing Pre-Surgery Stress Using Virtual Reality and Sound to Prevent Confusion and Memory Problems After Heart Surgery

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to reduce preoperative anxiety and stress in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery, as these factors can increase the risk of postoperative delirium, cognitive decline, and other complications. The study evaluates whether relaxation interventions using virtual reality and binaural beats can help prevent these mental health issues after surgery. It is a randomized controlled trial conducted at a single center involving 125 patients. Participants are randomly assigned to one of five groups four groups receive a 30-minute relaxation session before surgery with different combinations of natural sounds, binaural beats, and virtual reality nature scenes, while one group follows the standard procedure without any intervention. The relaxation interventions are delivered via headphones and, for some groups, a head-mounted display for the virtual reality experience. During the study, patients undergo neuropsychological exams and quality of life assessments before surgery, with stress markers like heart rate variability and saliva cortisol measured during the intervention. After surgery, daily delirium screenings are performed, and cognitive tests are repeated at hospital discharge and three months later. Researchers monitor various physiological and cognitive outcomes to assess the effects of the relaxation interventions on postoperative brain function and recovery.

Decreasing Preoperative Stress to Prevent Postoperative Delirium and Postoperative Cognitive Decline in Cardiac Surgical Patients.