VR goggles could replace painkillers for burn victims

NCT ID NCT04820400

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Aug 14, 2026 · Updated 3 times

Summary

This study tests whether watching a custom 360-degree virtual reality video during dressing changes can lower pain, anxiety, and the need for opioid painkillers in adults recovering from burn surgery. Eighty participants will wear VR headsets while their bandages are changed and rate their pain and anxiety before and after. The goal is to find a non-drug way to make these painful procedures more bearable.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Immersive 360-degree virtual reality video
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a non-drug way to ease pain and anxiety during burn dressing changes, potentially reducing reliance on opioids.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-stage study with only 80 participants. The VR videos are custom-made and may not work for everyone. Pain is subjective, and results may not apply to all burn patients.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

agnosia burn injury Pain, Postoperative

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

BURNS PAIN, POSTOPERATIVE TRAUMA

Contacts and locations

Locations

Sunnybrook Research Institute

Toronto, Canada

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.