Study on the Application of Virtual Reality Technology in Treating Preoperative Anxiety among School-Aged Pediatric Patients

目的：探讨虚拟现实技术对于缓解学龄期患儿术前焦虑的应用效果。方法：采取前瞻性研究方法，选取湘西自治州人民医院小儿普通外科2024年07月至2024年12月收治的学龄期全麻手术患儿80例作为研究对象，随机分为VR干预组(n = 40)与对照组(n = 40)。VR干预组在常规术前宣教基础上观看以第一人称视角拍摄的手术VR 360˚全景宣教视频。全景视频通过头戴式VR设备还原手术室环境和术前交接、麻醉诱导以及麻醉复苏的过程，让患儿沉浸式体验手术过程，以减轻术前焦虑。对照组仅行常规术前宣教。两组均选取术前等待时(T1)、走向手术室(T2)、进入手术室后(T3)、麻醉诱导期(T4)四个时刻使用改良耶鲁围手术期焦虑量表(the modified yale preoperative anxiety scale, m-YPAS)测评患儿的焦虑水平，出院前均调查患儿及家属满意度。结果：VR干预组m-YPAS评分分别为：T1 7(7, 9)、T2 9 (8, 10)、T3 10 (8, 11)、T4 13 (12, 15)，对照组分别为：T1 9 (8, 10)、T2 11 (9, 12)、T3 12 (10, 12)、T4 16 (15, 17)，四个时刻间比较均具有统计学意义(P P Objective: To explore the effect of virtual reality technology in alleviating preoperative anxiety in school-aged pediatric patients. Methods: A prospective study was conducted. 80 school-aged pediatric patients who underwent general anesthesia surgery in the Department of Pediatric General Surgery, Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture People’s Hospital from July 2024 to December 2024 were selected as the research subjects and randomly divided into a VR intervention group (n = 40) and a control group (n = 40). The VR intervention group watched a VR 360˚ panoramic education video of the surgery shot from a first-person perspective on the basis of conventional preoperative education. The panoramic video restored the operating room environment and the process of preoperative handover, anesthesia induction, and anesthesia recovery through a head-mounted VR device, allowing the children to immersively experience the surgical process to reduce preoperative anxiety. The control group only received conventional preoperative education. The modified Yale preoperative anxiety scale (m-YPAS) was used to assess the anxiety level of the children in both groups at four time points: preoperative waiting time (T1), walking to the operating room (T2), after entering the operating room (T3), and anesthesia induction period (T4). The satisfaction of the children and their families was investigated before discharge. Results: The m-YPAS scores of the VR intervention group were: T1 7 (7, 9), T2 9 (8, 10), T3 10 (8, 11), T4 13 (12, 15), and those of the control group were: T1 9 (8, 0), T2 11 (9, 12), T3 12 (10, 12), T4 16 (15, 17). The comparisons among the four time points were statistically significant (P P < 0.05). Conclusions: First-person perspective VR 360˚ panoramic video can help school-age children understand the operating room environment and immersively experience the surgical process before surgery, effectively relieve preoperative anxiety, and has broad application prospects in clinical work.