Abstract
Background
Cerebral aneurysms (CAs) affect 3 to 5% of the general population, with saccular aneurysms
being the most common type. Despite advances in treatment, patient understanding of
CAs and associated procedures remains limited, impacting informed consent and treatment
outcomes.
Objectives
This pilot study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of mixed reality (MR) technology
in enhancing patient education and understanding of cerebral angiograms and aneurysm
treatment, thereby improving the patient–surgeon communication process.
Methods
A nonrandomized single-center prospective study was conducted with 16 patients diagnosed
with intracranial aneurysms. Participants used a Microsoft HoloLens to view an interactive
3D presentation about cerebral angiograms and aneurysm treatments. Pre- and post-intervention
surveys assessed their knowledge and anxiety levels using a 5-point Likert scale.
The Wilcoxon's signed-rank test was used for statistical analysis.
Results
Post-intervention, the total survey scores improved significantly (average increase
of 6.7 points, p < 0.05). Seven out of eight survey questions showed significant knowledge improvement.
The mean perceived ability to explain aneurysm treatment improved by 1.38 points and
understanding of access points for procedures increased by 1.31 points (both p < 0.05). The question regarding understanding of treatment risks did not show significant
change (p > 0.05). Anxiety levels decreased, with 75% of participants reporting reduced anxiety
post-intervention.
Conclusion
MR technology significantly enhances patient understanding and reduces anxiety regarding
cerebral angiogram procedures and aneurysm treatments. These findings support the
integration of MR in patient education to improve clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.
This approach offers a promising direction for future health care communication strategies,
especially in complex procedures requiring detailed patient comprehension.
Keywords
mixed reality - patient satisfaction - shared decision making - surgical visualization
- intracranial aneurysm
