NCT05460104

Impact of the Use of VERT on Body Image After Bariatric Surgery

Impact of the Use of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy on Body Image After Bariatric Surgery

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 11 (actual)
• Sponsor: University Hospital, Bordeaux · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose ot the study is to assess the effectiveness of the use of VERT on improving body image at 12 months in patients who underwent bariatric surgery in the weight stabilization phase (between 18 and 30 months after bariatric) presenting dissatisfaction with their body image compared to standard follow-up in post-bariatric surgery (lack of specific management of body image).

Detailed description

Virtual reality therapy makes it possible to work on the integration of proprioceptive information via the reproduction of environments close to reality and therefore allow the patient to accept his new identity. This tool is used in an increasing number of indications and in particular in the management of dysmorphophobia in patients suffering from anorexia nervosa. In the context of bariatric surgery, only case reports have been published so far. Significant improvements in the body satisfaction scores of patients have been showed, in patients who had undergone bariatric surgery who presented bodily dissatisfaction after 6 weeks of virtual reality. However, larger numbers, longer follow-up periods and more rigorous methodologies are needed to confirm the impact of this practice. The hypothesis of the study is that virtual reality therapy could improve body image in patients who are dissatisfied with their body image after bariatric surgery.

Conditions

• Obesity
• Bariatric Surgery Candidate

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Experimental	Virtual reality sessions with a psychologist (30 minutes per session) once a week for 10 weeks. Work of the psychologist on a virtual environment created for the protocol in partnership with the company.
OTHER	Control	Standard care is medical follow-up, no specific psychological care.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-03-12
• Primary completion: 2026-12-19
• Completion: 2026-12-19
• First posted: 2022-07-15
• Last updated: 2026-01-15

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: France