Virtual- und Augmented Reality in the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain Caused by Brachial Plexus Lesion

A brachial plexus lesion is able to induce alterations in the peripheral and the central nervous system, leading to neuropathic pain. Treatment methods targeting the reoganisation of central supraspinal information processing have shown promising results in the last few years.

„Virtual Reality (VR)“ and „Augmented Reality (AR)“ is a new and innovative method of reorganising central information processing. Max Ortiz-Catalán, a Swedish researcher in the field of phantom limb pain, developed a special VR-AR application form to treat neuropathic pain. The results of his single case study and his clinical trial, including 14 chronic phantom limb pain patients, showed notable results.

The aim of this current single case study is to evaluate the applicability and the effectiveness of this method (developed for the treatment of phantom limb pain patients) in the treatment of a patient suffering from chronic neuropathic pain caused by brachial plexus lesion (without amputation).

This single case study was performed in our faculty in cooperation with the Institut Chalmers Tekniska Högskola, Institutionen för Signaler och System, Medicinsk Teknik, Göteborg.

• Project team: Herbert Schachner-Nedherer, MSc; Peter Fiala, Student; Dr. Max Ortiz-Catalán
• Partners: Dr. Max Ortiz-Catalán, Chalmers Tekniska Högskola, Institutionen för Signaler och System, Medicinsk Teknik, Göteborg, Schweden