2023 Awardee: Children’s Hospital Colorado Dr. Jenny Zablah & Dr. Gareth Morgan

Virtual Reality Applications for Patients with Congenital Heart Disease

 
 

 
 

Technological advances have improved the design and processing power of virtual reality (VR) devices, making them more suitable for implementation in medical settings.  VR has been used as a tool for medical education as a procedure can be repeated unlimited times; through practice, individuals can increase their understanding of surgical and procedural processes and improve their familiarity with the tools utilized.  

The research team within Children's Hospital Colorado's catheterization laboratory has been working on VR technologies for the last 3 years.  As a result, they have contributed to understanding the role of VR in patients with congenital heart disease, from patient distraction to procedural planning.  

In this research study, the Children's Hospital Colorado team will aim to evaluate the role of VR for procedural planning in 4 specific scenarios focused on procedural planning, it's influence on radiation exposure, exposure, and procedure time, along with exploring the use for continuing education.