Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40997934›Full record

ArticleObstetrics & gynecology science2025

Virtual reality for pain relief during office hysteroscopy: a randomized controlled trial.

Rania Gamal, Ahmed Zidan, Waleed Shawky, Joseph Ibrahim, Yassin Mostafa, Tarek Sabry, Amro Elhusseiny, Radwa Ali

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Obstetrics & gynecology science, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Rania GamalDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, El Weil, Egypt.
Ahmed ZidanDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, El Fayoum Health Insurance Hospital, Governorate, Egypt.
Waleed ShawkyDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Alsanta General Hospital, Gharbia, Egypt.
Joseph IbrahimDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mabra Health Insurance Hospital, Asuit, Egypt.
Yassin MostafaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Benha Teaching Hospital, Al-Qalyubia, Egypt.
Tarek SabryDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ministry of Health and Population, Beni Suef, Egypt.
Amro ElhusseinyDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, El Weil, Egypt.
Radwa AliDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, El Weil, Egypt.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveOffice hysteroscopy (OH) is widely used to diagnose and manage intrauterine pathologies. However, pain remains the primary factor that contributes to OH failure. This study aimed to assess the effect of virtual reality (VR) on pain reduction during OH.

methodsA prospective randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted at a university hospital between July and November 2024. The study involved 50 women undergoing OH randomly allocated to receive immersive VR videos during the procedure or standard care. The main outcome measure was self-reported intraoperative pain evaluated using a numerical rating scale. Other measures included satisfaction, duration, and success of the procedure.

resultsMean pain scores were 6.16±1.86 in standard care group and 4.88±1.69 in VR group (difference, 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27 to 2.29; P=0.014). After adjusting for other variables, no statistically significant relationship was found between VR and severe pain (odds ratio, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.15 to 3.87; P=0.73); only severe anxiety in women and procedure duration were associated with severe pain.

conclusionVirtual reality did not significantly reduce pain severity during hysteroscopy. However, severe pain was associated with high anxiety and a longer procedure duration. These findings suggest that VR may not effectively mitigate severe pain, whereas managing anxiety and minimizing procedure time could be more effective strategies.

Indexed as

AnxietyHysteroscopyPainVirtual reality

Identifiers

PMID40997934
PMCPMC12463480

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.