SAN DIEGO — Instead of sedating patients during minor surgeries, doctors at Kaiser Permanente are offering a relaxing 'Virtual Reality' vacation. In this Zevely Zone, I visited Kaiser Permanente's Zion Medical Center for a first look at the innovative program.
"I'm pretty excited," said Mary Ann Stenberg. The Chula Vista resident is a first grade teacher at Olympic View Elementary who has a finger that locks up. The ailment is called trigger finger. "A lot of computer work, I also do a lot of cooking, I also do a lot of knitting," said Mary Ann. She needed hand surgery and when given the choice between being sedated and virtual reality goggles she thought, "I'm in. I am always in for something new. I'd be happy to be a guinea pig," said Mary Ann.
"We are the only ones doing this, there is one other group in the country that I know of that is doing this," said Kaiser Permanente hand surgeon Dr. Leo Kroonen. That other doctor is in Michigan and they both agree why knock a patient out if it's not needed? "This is really a good thing so you can get your surgery done but not shoot your whole day," said Dr. Kroonen. The googles he uses cost 200 dollars. Dr. Kroonen gave me a preview of Mary Ann's upcoming trip. I strapped the goggles on and said, "You've taken me to Norway, and I see crystal blue water and towering mountains."
Then it was Mary Ann's turn. "So, we will just put these over your eyes," said Dr. Kroonen. Kaiser Permanente has performed about 150 hand surgeries using virtual reality. "I really believe that it's safer to have patients have surgery this way without going under a more systemic anesthetic," said Dr. Kroonen. He did numb Mary Ann's hand with a local anesthetic but by then she was off in another world. "I am off in what looks like a European fishing village," said Mary Ann.
As the surgery continued, Mary Ann told us she was off swimming with the fish and not feeling any pain. "Not at all. My hand feels a bit heavy, I can feel a bit of tugging but no pain at all," said Mary Ann.
Dr. Kroonen wants his patients to feel a spa experience. "We are thinking outside the box to help our patients," said Dr. Kroonen. About 15 minutes later, Mary Ann sat up from the operating table and said her finger was no longer clicking. "It's like smooth motion like it's back to normal like I didn't even have the trigger finger at all," said Mary Ann.
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You've got to 'hand' it to the doctor, the first grade teacher looked rested. "It was great, ha, ha, ha. It was like an early vacation for me," said Mary Ann while walking out the door.
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Another benefit of using 'Virtual Reality' instead of sedation, Mary Ann drove herself home the hospital just minutes after her surgery.