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Tablet VR game calms kids before surgery – no needles needed

NCT ID NCT02687243

Symptom relief Sponsor: McMaster University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tested a virtual reality app called StoryTelling Medicine (STM) to see if it could reduce anxiety in children aged 8–13 before elective surgery. The app guides kids through hospital settings in a fun, interactive way. Researchers measured anxiety, heart rate, and stress hormone levels, and also looked at recovery outcomes like painkiller use and hospital stay length. If it works, STM could offer a simple, low-cost way to improve kids' surgical experiences.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
Interactive virtual reality application (StoryTelling Medicine) delivered via tablet
What this could lead to
If effective, this could give hospitals a simple, low-cost tool to help children feel calmer before surgery, potentially reducing complications and speeding recovery.
What could go wrong
This is a small, completed study (118 children) testing a single app. Results may not apply to all hospitals or age groups, and the app may not work for every child.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

118 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Nov 2019

Finished

Dec 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

8 to 13 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Children between the ages of 8-13 who are scheduled to receive any outpatient surgery (i.e. tonsillectomy, herniorrhaphy) Exclusion Criteria: * Children with chronic illnesses (e.g., cancer), known neurodevelopmental disorders, or who are on psychotropic medications prior to randomization will be excluded

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

anxiety anxiety disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Anxiety

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • McMaster Children's Hospital

    Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada

More trials for these conditions

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