Authors (including presenting author) :
Yip KM (1), Chan SC (1), Cheung CW (1), Fung WY (1), Sin WT (1), Lam SN (1), Wong TY (1)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital
Introduction :
Outpatient hysteroscopy is an essential gynaecological procedure to evaluate and manage intrauterine pathologies. However, pain is the most common reason for procedural failure. The use of common analgesic agents, such as non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids, may be limited by their contraindications and side effects. Therefore, non-pharmacological options, such as music and virtual reality, may be considered as safer alternatives.
Objectives :
To evaluate the effectiveness of the virtual reality and music therapy in (1) pain management and (2) improving patients’ experience during outpatient hysteroscopy
Methodology :
The study was a non-blinded randomized controlled trial. Eligible patients were randomized in 1:1:1 ratio into 3 groups: virtual reality, music and control group. The pain scores of the patients were assessed via a numerical pain rating scale of 0-10 at various timepoints of the hysteroscopy. The patients’ satisfaction and acceptance for future hysteroscopy were also recorded. Primary outcome was the maximum pain score encountered by patients during hysteroscopy. Secondary outcomes included pain scores at specific timepoints of hysteroscopy, other symptoms, patient satisfaction score and acceptance score for future hysteroscopy.
Result & Outcome :
Result:
From December 2022 to July 2023, a total of 210 patients were included in the study. 65.7% patients had diagnostic hysteroscopies and 34.3% had additional procedures. The virtual reality and music groups had lower mean maximum pain scores compared to the control group, however, the difference between the groups was not statistically significant (p=0.131, One-way anova). In contrast, the acceptance for future hysteroscopy were significantly higher in both the music group 8.8±2.1 (p=0.002, One-way anova), and virtual reality group 8.6±1.6 (p=0.009, One-way anova) compared to the control group 7.5±2.7 in the study.
Conclusion:
The use of virtual reality and music during outpatient hysteroscopy did not show statistical significance in pain reduction. However, the patients’ acceptance for future hysteroscopy were significantly improved in both intervention groups.
