Evaluating virtual reality as an educational tool in preoperative settings for coronary angiography

Abstract

Effective pre-procedural education is crucial for patients' cooperation and adherence to treatment plans. Virtual reality (VR) has recently been expanding in clinical medicine. This study aimed to prove the non-inferiority of VR education compared to conventional education in patients prior to invasive coronary angiography. Methods: In this prospective study, 386 participants undergoing elective coronary angiography were randomized into a VR group (n = 193) that watched a 360 degrees video about the procedure using VR headset Oculus Meta Quest 2 and a conventional group (n = 193) educated by a physician. Patients completed questionnaires assessing educational quality, knowledge of the procedure, and satisfaction. Results: VR education was non-inferior to conventional education, with statistically similar improvements in hospital education (93.8% vs. 90.2%, p = 0.19) and subjective evaluation using a Likert scale (77.2% vs. 68.4% rating education as best, p = 0.261). VR education showed better knowledge retention, with 34.7% achieving a perfect score on a 4-question questionnaire compared to 18.8% in the conventional group (p < 0.001). In subanalysis, older patients were more likely to score under the median (p = 0.028). Conclusion: VR-based education proved as effective as traditional physician-led education and confirmed better knowledge retention, especially in younger patients. It highlights VR's potential as a valuable patient education tool.