Virtual Reality in Otolaryngology Patient Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: Patients commonly report experiencing anxiety or pain before, during, and after undergoing surgery or medical procedures. Instead of solely relying on pharmacologic options to improve the patient's experience, complementary options such as virtual reality (VR) have been used in multiple specialties to decrease anxiety and pain for patients perioperatively. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of the VR intervention on anxiety/stress, pain, and satisfaction scores following otolaryngology procedures. Data Sources: PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Review Methods: The PRISMA methodology was used in this study to systematically identify articles from October 1994 to August 2024. The search phrases inputted into PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science produced a total of 2068 articles, with 9 studies being included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Results: The 9 randomized control studies included in this systematic review and meta-analysis encompassed a total of 370 patients, 182 of whom underwent VR intervention. The Cohen's d standardized mean difference (SMD) for anxiety/stress was -0.84 (95% CI: -1.14 to -0.54, p < 0.001). SMD for pain and satisfaction scores were - 0.36 (95% CI: -0.62 to -0.10, p = 0.01) and 0.55 (95% CI: 0.30 to 0.81, p < 0.001), respectively. VR intervention was shown to improve anxiety/stress, pain, and satisfaction scores for patients who underwent otolaryngology procedures. Conclusion: VR intervention was shown to improve anxiety/stress, pain, and satisfaction scores for patients undergoing otolaryngology procedures. Future studies may include comparing the effects of VR intervention to other nonpharmacologic interventions. Level of EvidenceNA