La Paz implants a pioneer therapeutic project of virtual reality for pediatric transplants

Virtual Transplant reality is the virtual and augmented reality platform, which has been implemented at the La Paz hospital to improve the quality of life and psycho-emotional well-being of pediatric patients with liver transplantation.

Spain is still, By twenty -first consecutive year ,The world leader in transplants. He 80% of pediatric liver transplants that are carried out in are made between the first year of life and the seven years.

The life of a baby-child changes completely after transplantation, So to accompany them throughout the process, Virtual Transplant reality is born (VTR), A worldwide pioneer project developed by Spanish professionals to improve the quality of life and psycho-emotional well-being of pediatric patients with liver transplantation and that of their families.

The initiative, Promoted by Erika Guijarro, Psychologist with extensive experience with this type of patients and specialist in virtual reality, will be developed in collaboration with a consortium of entities and institutions such as the Institute of Research of the La Paz University Hospital, Idipaz, the HEPA ASSOCIATION (Spanish Association for Help Children with liver diseases and hepatic transplanted), And as technological managers of the project, the University Center for Technology and Digital Art have participated, U-tad, and the company specialized in interactive content and platform development Jump Into Reality.

It will be in the Pediatric Transplant Unit of the La Paz University Hospital where the practical implementation of this tool will be carried out, Being this hospital that performs more pediatric transplants throughout Spain and where the HEPA Association already collaborates.

The project consists in the creation of a technological platform that will incorporate and manage all experiences in virtual reality and augmented reality.

In each experience, gamified techniques will be used, Narratives and Interactive, Just as immersive worlds will be created, adapted to each problem. These technologies facilitate the training and adaptation of users to isolated and controlled environments. Besides, They are easy to handle and can be executed in different types of devices, according to the needs of each patient.

Through the use of virtual and augmented reality, VTR intends to alleviate the consequences, as well as improving the quality of life and psycho -emotional well -being, both of the patient and that of their environment. For this, virtual scenarios and experiences will be developed, (that will follow an evolutionary process during the transplantation phases) From a triple perspective: prevention, distraction and awareness.

From the point of view of prevention (anticipating different scenarios), The objective is to train children in those stressful or potentially traumatic situations such as UCI stays or device diagnostic tests, that usually produce a lot of anguish and anxiety in this type of patients.
In the distraction phase (Distractor or management distracting therapies) It is intended to change the focus of the pediatric patient care to focus on the stimuli that this tool will provide and not on medical tests.

Finally, Awareness focuses on self -care and adhesion to treatment, favoring adherence to the treatment of both patients and their environment (friends, family, etc.) making them partakers of the transplanted child's routines (Medical tests, income, Surgeries, Stays in intensive care units, medication, care and precautions routines, Medical prohibitions, etc.).

Through these interactive experiences it is intended that the circle of friendships and relatives of the hepatic transplanted patient be aware of his care and encouraged him to maintain his self -care and adherence to treatment, since your medication is your only life insurance.

Transplantchild: ERN in pediatric transplantation

La Paz University Hospital Coordina Transplantchild, The European Reference Network (ERN) of children's transplants, heading the only European reference network coordinated by Spain.
The transplantchild network is one of the 24 European Reference Networks (ERN) approved by the European Commission in compliance with the EU directive on patients in cross -border assistance.

This hospital has one of the most highly specialized transplants multidisciplinary teams in Europe and is the only one in Spain accredited to make all kinds of children's transplants (Transplant program). Since January 1985 And until December 2016 have made a total of 1.799 solid organ transplants and hematopoietic parents, with survival and quality indicators comparable to the best hospitals in the world.

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