Background: Virtual reality is increasingly used during neurosurgical training but rarely used to
inform and educate patients. To date, studies evaluating the use of virtual reality to improve patient
understanding are limited, and to the best of our knowledge, no such study has yet been performed in
the field of neurosurgery. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate in the context of spinal
fractures whether virtual reality increased patients’ understanding and satisfaction.
Methods: Patients with a spinal fracture who were to undergo neurosurgical surgery were
prospectively registered in this study (n = 19). These patients performed the routine imaging protocol
and were subsequently randomized to undergo preoperative standard consultation through the use of
2D CT or MRI images or by the use of VR. Two questionnaires, one for understanding and the other
for satisfaction, were specifically created and presented to the participants following their
preoperative consultation. The results of the two groups were compared using the two-sample t-test
and the Mann-Whitney U test.
Results: All 19 patients responded to the two questionnaires. 10 patients performed the consultations
with VR and the other 9 underwent standard consultations. There were 2 females and 17 males. Mean
age was 48.0 ± 17.6. Patients who benefited from VR had a better understanding (average 23.7/25)
than the STD group (average 19.4/25). This improvement almost reached significance with the two-
sample t-test (p = 0.06) but not with the Mann-Whitney U test (p = 0.226). Regarding satisfaction,
both groups reported a very high score but without any significant differences (VR: 30.2/32, STD:
28.6/32; two-sample t-test p = 0.21, Mann-Whithney U test p = 0.472).
Conclusions: In our study, the use of VR improved average understanding and satisfaction of patients’
condition, however not significantly. Future studies with bigger groups may show a more consistent
positive effect of VR in the 3D representation of our patients.