Comparing the Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in Paediatric Patients

Patients will be reviewed prior to surgery, where explanation will be given and consent from patient's parents will be obtained. Once the parents consented for the study, patient will be recruited. Randomization will be carried out using a computer-generated system randomizing patient to two groups, Group 1 which is standard care/control group (as per usual practice) whereas Group 2 is VR intervention group. No premedication prescribed to patients.

Non immersive VR experience basically means providing a near reality environment for viewers, however, viewers won't be able to make any changes to it as they can only watch.

This Non-immersive Virtual reality experience will be applied unto the child by using a headset that incorporates a computerized dimensional environment which will be simulated to make the child feel near reality .The VR headset consist of a cover for handphone slot, screen display, two lenses with adjustable eye pieces to focus, foam padding and adjustable elastic head mount.

Group 2 patients will be tested for the suitability of mask size and applied together with the VR headset, meanwhile the strap for VR headset is adjusted accordingly to patient's head circumference and fixed for later use. The patient will choose one of the three YouTube videos, either Frozen theme song, SpongeBob or Minions according to their preference. These VR cartoon videos are 3-Dimension cartoon which are available to view for free. Frozen is a famous Disney cartoon, SpongeBob is an American animated cartoon series whereas Minions is an animated comedy film. The selected video will be played on the doctor's handphone and slotted into the VR headset. The codes for the VR cartoon videos will be scanned by the anaesthesiology trainees' registrars and specialists and downloaded into their handphone. The VR cartoon will be shown to the patients for 30 seconds to accustom them to wear the VR.

On the operation day, patients will enter the operation room as routine, while the primary investigator observes the patient and score their anxiety level using modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS) upon arrival to operation room. Modified Yale Preoperative anxiety scale has been proved to be a reliable assessment tool. The mYPAS is a 22-itemized score divided into 5 categories which are activities, vocalization, expressing emotions, state of arousal and interaction with family members. Each category was scored from 1 to 4, except for vocalization, which scored from 1 to 6. As each category is itemized differently, partial weights were calculated and then added to the total score. The total score will be calculated post-intubation. The scoring will be done by dividing each item rating by the highest possible rating (i.e., 6 for the "vocalizations" item and 4 for all other items), the produced values will be summed. Divide by 4 and multiply by 100. mYPAS scores of ≤30 is described as non-anxious, and mYPAS score > 30 is described as anxious with the minimum score of 23.3 to maximum score of 100.13 Subsequently, the patients will be placed either on the operation table or be sited on the parent's lap depending on the patient's cooperation. The position of patients during induction is documented. Oxygen saturation probe will be applied on them. Baseline heart rate (HR) and SpO2 will be documented. Group 1 patients will receive standard care of inhaling gaseous induction through mask. For Group 2, a handphone playing YouTube videos (either Frozen or SpongeBob or Minions VR cartoons) will be slotted into the VR headset prior to applying on the patient. They will have mask on first followed by the VR headset. Patients in both groups will receive 100% oxygen of 6 L/min flow for 30 seconds. Nitrous oxide of 2 L/min will be added with ratio oxygen and nitrous oxide of 3:1. Sevoflurane inhalation will be initiated with 4% concentration for 30 seconds, followed by 8%. The induction will be proceeded in usual manner. Non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) cuff and electrocardiogram (ECG) leads will be applied to the patients. BP, HR, SpO2 during induction and post-intubation will be recorded.

Following intubation, the attending anaesthetist will score the induction compliance checklist (ICC) which is an observational scale on the patient compliance to inhalational induction and mask acceptance. The ICC is a validated checklist and contains 10 negative behavioural groupings. The ICC score represents the sum of the groupings checked as present during induction; high scores correlate with poor behavioural compliance. A perfect induction (no negative behaviours) is scored as 0; the highest possible score is 10. For purposes of analysis, ICC scores were stratified into three categories: perfect (ICC = 0), moderate (1-3) and poor (≥4).

Anaesthetist in Group 2 will fill up a System Usability Scale (SUS). This scale was created by John Brooke in 1986 and used extensively to test numerous products and services. The SUS consists of 10 questions with 5 responses for each question ranging from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree". The calculation of the usability score for SUS is, for each of the odd numbered questions, subtract 1 from the score. For each of the even numbered questions, subtract their value from 5. The produced values will be summed and multiply by 2.5. Questions 1,3,5,7 and 9 are positive whereas questions 2,4,6,8 and 10 are negative. The score is graded to five grades, score >80.3 (Grade A/ excellent), 68-80.3 (Grade B/ good), 68 (Grade C/ okay), 51-68 (Grade D/ poor) and ˂51 (Grade F/ awful).

In a situation where patient is unable to wear VR headset, the patient will be considered dropped off from the study. However, if the patient removes the VR headset or pushes away the mask during inhalation, data will still be recruited and considered, hence not a drop out case.

Collected data will be used to measure the association of mYPAS anxiety score with the ICC, which will determine the compliancy of patient to mask acceptance during induction. If the VR group shows a high mYPAS score yet a perfect or low ICC score compared to standard care group, hence the investigators can prove that VR does effectively decrease anxiety in paediatrics during inhalational induction.