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Press & Media
ABC News Report
Reporter: Sophie Scott (ABC news)
"Ryan Payne suffered burns to almost 60% of
his body in a cooking accident.. He has to undergo painful wound dressings
three times a day. Doctors at Melbourne's Alfred hospital are helping
him manage his pain using virtual reality. He is offered self-administered
morphine through a PCA machine as well as the virtual reality goggles.
"
Dr Alex Konstantatos, Specialist Anaesthetist.
The Alfred hospital
"Initially they put the goggles on and the
machine provides a commentary and some visual imagery and that is all
aimed at reducing the patient's anxiety levels."
Sample of hypnosis program and imagery is played
Reporter: Sophie Scott (ABC news)
"It can induce a state of deep relaxation.
Some patients can become hypnotized"
Dr Alex Konstantatos, Specialist Anaesthetist.
The Alfred hospital
"If a patient can feel deeply relaxed and
less anxious, then they will probably have less of a requirement for pharmacology
therapies such as morphine"
Reporter: Sophie Scott (ABC news)
"Doctors say that reducing pain killer has
advantages as they can slow down patient's breathing and cause nausea.
A pilot study of 14 burns patients found they experienced less pain with
the technology."
Ryan Payne - burns patient
"It was fantastic. Obviously it relaxes you
a lot and puts you in a state where basically you're not focusing on the
treatment that's going on or the dressings that's happening."
Reporter: Sophie Scott (ABC news)
"Doctors say the technique is being successfully
used with children, but could benefit any patient undergoing a painful
procedure."
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