Virtual Reality for Pediatric Perioperative Preparation

Preoperative anxiety and fear are common among children undergoing elective surgery and may negatively affect cooperation during anesthesia induction, perioperative experience, and postoperative recovery. Educational preparation programs have been developed to help children and their families better understand the surgical process; however, conventional preparation methods may not fully address the emotional needs of pediatric patients.

Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising tool for perioperative preparation by providing immersive and interactive experiences that allow children to become familiar with the hospital environment before surgery. Previous randomized studies and recent systematic reviews have suggested that VR-based preparation may reduce preoperative anxiety and fear while improving cooperation during anesthesia induction and family satisfaction. Nevertheless, evidence remains limited regarding its effectiveness when compared with structured nurse-led preparation delivered as part of routine clinical practice, particularly in real-world hospital settings.

This pilot study aims to evaluate the feasibility and potential effectiveness of a VR-based preoperative preparation program for pediatric patients undergoing elective surgery. The intervention uses the NixiKit system, which provides an immersive virtual tour of the perioperative journey, including the preoperative area, operating room, and recovery room, through age-appropriate audiovisual content designed to familiarize children with the surgical environment.

Participants assigned to the intervention group will receive the VR experience during hospital admission before surgery. Participants assigned to the comparison group will receive the standard preoperative preparation routinely delivered by nursing staff. Data collected during the perioperative period will be used to explore the impact of the intervention on psychological and behavioral outcomes in children as well as on family experience.

As a pilot randomized controlled trial, this study is intended to provide preliminary estimates of intervention effects, assess study procedures and feasibility, and generate information to support the design of a future definitive multicenter trial evaluating virtual reality as a perioperative preparation strategy in pediatric surgical care.

Inclusion criteria

• Children aged 3 to 12 years.
• Scheduled for elective surgery under anesthesia.
• Parent or legal guardian owns a mobile phone.
• Ability to understand simple instructions, according to clinical judgment and developmental level.
• Sufficient Spanish language proficiency of the child and at least one parent or legal guardian.
• Written informed consent from parents or legal guardians and child assent when applicable.

Exclusion criteria

• Emergency or urgent surgery.
• Moderate to severe neurodevelopmental disorder or intellectual disability limiting understanding of the intervention or study scales.
• Severe visual or hearing impairment preventing use of virtual reality.
• History of photosensitive epilepsy, severe vertigo, severe motion sickness, or other conditions that could worsen with virtual reality.
• Severe decompensated psychiatric disorder.
• Use of intense sedative premedication before baseline assessment that prevents evaluation of preoperative anxiety.