Medical application of virtual reality (VR)

The use of virtual reality or 3D visualising technology is of course not new. Since the 1990s, 3D models of patients' organs, for example, have been used. But the advancement in the field of computers ensures that the images can be made much more realistic - and much faster.

X-rays, CT and MRI scans can now be converted into high-resolution 3D images within a minute, according to Sergio Agirre, CTO of EchoPixel. This company's visualisation software is used in hospitals worldwide "Twenty years ago, something like this might have taken a week.".

Some surgical procedures, such as removing an appendix or performing a caesarean section, can be done quite routinely - one case is very similar to another. But other, complicated procedures, such as separating conjoined twins, pose challenges that require precise planning. Especially for these challenging procedures, 3D visualisation proves its enormous value.

Recently, VR played an important role in the successful separation of conjoined twins. At the Masonic Children's Hospital in Minneapolis (US), there was a three-month-old twin who was conjoined in a much more complicated way than others, with intricate connections between heart and liver. The operation and separation of these twins was obviously very difficult and even dangerous for the twins.

VR technology is also used by vascular specialists. By using interactive 3D visualisations, surgeons can prepare well for procedures such as treating an aneurysm or blocked veins. One of the advantages is that they can already estimate in advance which measures and actions will yield the best results.

While doctors use VR equipment, patients do too. They use headsets, for example, to immerse themselves in a virtual world that helps them focus on things other than medical problems and treatments for a while.

Because anaesthesia or sedation can pose risks for some patients, more and more hospitals are offering VR headsets to their patients, in order to control pain during less serious procedures. At the moment this is still experimental but the results are positive so far.

Similarly, VR appears to help reduce anxiety in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Similarly in children, where it helps to reduce anxiety during injections or other treatments.

You look through the VR glasses and can virtually walk through the structure and thereby exactly see what you all need have while performing the surgery.

Patients with burns may benefit most from VR technology. The daily cleaning and dressing of burns or performing skin grafts are some of the most painful procedures. Pain medication helps, but often not enough.

For these patients, the VR game "SnowWorld" has been developed. Dr. Hunter Hoffman, a scientist at the University of Washington with expertise in the use of VR for pain management, explains: "This game contains images specifically designed to distract burn patients from their pain." People who play this game during treatment, according to research, experience up to 50% less pain. Other research shows that playing this game changes the brain of patients, indicating that they experience less pain.

The VR game SnowWorld developed by Hoffmann is currently being tested at four locations in the United States and in two other countries. Although VR should not be seen as a replacement for pain management, the developers believe that medication and VR combined can be extremely effective. In the Netherlands too, there is a lot of experimentation with pain relief through VR. Medical organisations such as Radboudumc and the burn centre of the Martini Hospital use VR glasses and research the application of VR in pain management during endoscopic examinations and procedures. The initial indications from this research show that indeed less sedation is needed in patients who use a VR headset.

Virtual reality also helps patients struggling with balance and mobility problems as a result of a stroke or head injuries.

A new European consortium, led by the Sint Maartenskliniek, is receiving €2.4 million for the development of Virtual Reality (VR) applications in rehabilitation trajectories. The Interreg North-West Europe programme awarded the so-called VR4REHAB project for this purpose. This project will bring together companies, universities and rehabilitation clinics over the next three years to develop and research VR applications that improve rehabilitation treatments and speed up the recovery process.


Through VR I can monitor what is happening around a patient and know what influences a patient's ability to change

Research shows that the use of VR in rehabilitation significantly speeds up the process. Patients regain their physical skills earlier. The initial results are very positive. A study in people who have had a stroke showed that the use of VR led to better arm and hand movement after four weeks of therapy. After two months, these patients also showed better mobility. Other research in patients with cerebral palsy showed similar improved outcomes.

"The power of VR in therapy is that you really get to work with how people see the world," says Keshner. "They learn how to respond. And after practising in the virtual world, they are much more confident and better able to do that in the real world too."