Virtual Reality and Cryotherapy for Postoperative Pain and Anxiety After Cesarean Section
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Virtual Reality, Cryotherapy.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Postoperative Pain, Anxiety, Cesarean Section Complications. Basic parameters: 18 years — 45 years · Female.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
Effectiveness of Virtual Reality and Cryotherapy on Postoperative Pain and Anxiety Among Women Undergoing Cesarean Section Under Spinal Anesthesia: A Three-Arm Factorial Randomized Controlled Trial
Overview
This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality and cryotherapy, used separately and in combination, in reducing postoperative pain and anxiety among women undergoing cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups or a control group according to the study design. Postoperative pain and anxiety will be assessed using validated measurement tools at predetermined time points after surgery. The findings of this study may provide evidence for safe, non-pharmacological interventions to improve postoperative recovery and patient comfort following cesarean section.
Detailed description
Cesarean section is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures worldwide. Despite advances in perioperative care, many women continue to experience moderate to severe postoperative pain and anxiety, which can negatively affect early mobilization, breastfeeding, maternal-infant bonding, and overall recovery. Although pharmacological analgesia remains the standard of care, non-pharmacological interventions may provide additional benefits while minimizing medication-related adverse effects.
Virtual reality is an immersive distraction technique that has shown promise in reducing pain perception and anxiety in various clinical settings. Cryotherapy is another non-pharmacological intervention that may reduce pain through local cooling, decreased nerve conduction velocity, and reduced inflammatory responses. However, evidence regarding their combined effectiveness after cesarean section remains limited.
The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality and cryotherapy, individually and in combination, on postoperative pain and anxiety among women undergoing cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. Eligible participants will be randomly allocated to the study groups according to the trial protocol. Pain and anxiety outcomes will be measured using validated assessment instruments at predefined postoperative time points. The primary outcomes are postoperative pain intensity and anxiety. The results are expected to contribute to evidence-based postoperative nursing care by identifying effective, safe, and feasible non-pharmacological interventions for women undergoing cesarean section.
Interventions
- Device Virtual Reality
Participants receive a 30-minute immersive virtual reality session using a head-mounted display with calming, non-violent audiovisual content during the early postoperative period after cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. The intervention is administered according to a standardized protocol. - Other Cryotherapy
Participants receive localized cryotherapy using cold gel packs maintained at approximately 10-15°C and applied over or near the cesarean incision area for 15 minutes with a protective barrier between the cold pack and the skin. Skin integrity is monitored before and after treatment.
Primary outcome measures
- Postoperative Pain Intensity [Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after the intervention, 2 hours after the intervention, and 6 hours after the intervention (if feasible).]
Secondary outcome measures (4)
- Anxiety Score [Time frame: Baseline (pre-intervention), immediately after the intervention, 2 hours after the intervention, and 6 hours after the intervention (if feasible).]
- Time to First Rescue Analgesia [Time frame: Up to 6 hours after the intervention.]
- Total Analgesic Consumption [Time frame: Up to 6 hours after the intervention.]
- Adverse Events [Time frame: Throughout the intervention and postoperative observation period (up to 6 hours after the intervention).]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
Female participants aged 18 to 45 years. Undergoing elective or emergency cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. Hemodynamically stable after surgery. Able to understand Arabic. Conscious, oriented, and able to complete study questionnaires. Willing to participate and provide written informed consent.
Exclusion criteria
Undergoing cesarean section under general anesthesia. Severe postoperative complications requiring intensive care. Severe visual or hearing impairment preventing virtual reality use. History of epilepsy or seizure disorder. Severe motion sickness or vestibular disorders. Known psychiatric illness interfering with outcome assessment. Cognitive impairment preventing completion of questionnaires. Skin disease, wound complications, cold hypersensitivity, Raynaud's phenomenon, or allergy/intolerance to cryotherapy.
Severe intraoperative or postoperative bleeding. Refusal to participate or withdrawal of informed consent.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Single blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Publications
- Wang ZR, Ni GX. Is it time to put traditional cold therapy in rehabilitation of soft-tissue injuries out to pasture? World J Clin Cases. 2021 Jun 16;9(17):4116-4122. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i17.4116. PMID 34141774
- Niyonkuru E, Iqbal MA, Zhang X, Ma P. Complementary Approaches to Postoperative Pain Management: A Review of Non-pharmacological Interventions. Pain Ther. 2025 Feb;14(1):121-144. doi: 10.1007/s40122-024-00688-1. Epub 2024 Dec 17. PMID 39681763
- Li A, Montano Z, Chen VJ, Gold JI. Virtual reality and pain management: current trends and future directions. Pain Manag. 2011 Mar;1(2):147-157. doi: 10.2217/pmt.10.15. PMID 21779307
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07696949 · S.B.M.U.26.858