Research & Evidence

Clinical Studies

Scientific evidence from over 45 completed studies demonstrates the effectiveness of audiovisual sedation with the HappyMed Video Glasses in various medical specialties.

45
Completed studies
14
Publications
15
Satisfaction surveys
4
Ongoing studies
3
Planned studies

Current study partners

Scientific evidence

Results

AnaesthesiaCardiologyOrthopaedicsOncologyDentistryGeriatrics

Anaesthesia

3 Studies

Influence of preoperative audiovisual distraction on emergence agitation after orthognathic surgery: a prospective, randomised, single-blind pilot study (2025)

  • Severe emergence agitation almost halved: with HappyMed Video Glasses before the induction of anaesthesia, severe emergence agitation occurred in 21% of patients, without the glasses in 40%.
  • High acceptance, no side effects: 42 out of 43 patients approached agreed to take part (97.7%). All patients in the intervention group used the video glasses without difficulty, and no adverse effects occurred.
  • Waiting time before induction put to good use: on average, patients wore the glasses for 22 minutes during the waiting time before anaesthesia. They were removed before preoxygenation, after which the anaesthesia continued according to the hospital standard. The existing workflow therefore did not have to be changed.
Posch MJ, Fiebig-Widmann S, Metzger MC, Buerkle H, Schumann S, Schwer CI. Impact of preoperative audiovisual distraction on emergence agitation in patients undergoing orthognathic surgery: a prospective, randomized, single-blinded pilot study. J Dent Anesth Pain Med. 2025 Dec;25(6):399-408. doi:10.17245/jdapm.2025.25.6.399. Universitätsklinikum Freiburg

The influence of audiovisual distraction on pain reduction during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) under monitored anaesthesia care: a prospective, randomised study (2024)

  • Significantly less opioid: with HappyMed Video Glasses, both the mean and the maximum infusion rate of remifentanil were significantly lower than in the control group (p = 0.028 and p = 0.025 respectively).
  • Safe in use: according to the authors, the video glasses are safe for audiovisual distraction during the procedure. They state that this is the first study on audiovisual distraction during TAVI.
  • Randomised at the Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin: 90 patients undergoing transfemoral TAVI were randomised, 45 with video glasses and 45 with standard care. The evaluation followed the intention-to-treat principle.
Pitts L, Hellner N, Kofler M, Ryschka M, Unbehaun A, O'Brien B, et al. The influence of audiovisual distraction on pain reduction during transcatheter aortic valve implantation under monitored anesthesia care: a prospective randomized trial. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2024;38(6):1353-60. Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin.

Patient and user survey (2016)

  • 45% of patients felt more relaxed and less anxious after putting on the HappyMed Video Glasses
  • 94% of doctors recommend working with the video glasses
  • In over 49% of cases, the frequency of sedation can be reduced
  • In 55%, sedation could be avoided entirely
Schmola J. Einführung und Evaluation einer Videobrille in einer Anästhesieabteilung eines kommunalen Krankenhauses mit 150 Planbetten,Masterarbeit. Schrobenhausen, 2021. Kreiskrankenhaus Schrobenhausen.

Cardiology:

3 Studies

The influence of audiovisual distraction on the pain situation during transcatheter aortic valve implantation under monitored anaesthesia care: a prospective, randomised study (2023)

  • A study on audiovisual distraction during transcatheter aortic valve implantation
  • The video glasses are safe for appropriate, effective audiovisual sedation
  • Audiovisual distraction can significantly reduce the required dose of remifentanil
  • Safe in very elderly high-risk patients: the application was successful in 60 patients with an average age of 83.
Rawish E, John M, Lemmer F, Constantz A, Genske F, Marquetand C, et al. Audiovisual distraction during mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair: a sedation-sparing randomized trial. JACC Adv. 2026 Jun;5(6):102835. doi:10.1016/j.jacadv.2026.102835 . Universitäres Herzzentrum Lübeck, UKSH.

Virtual reality-assisted distraction during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) under local anaesthesia: a randomised study (2023)

  • Randomised study at University Hospital Essen recruited 117 patients in two groups undergoing transfemoral TAVI (TF-TAVI)
  • 59 patients underwent standard TF-TAVI with video glasses
  • 58 patients underwent standard TF-TAVI without video glasses
  • The anxiety score and the perceived duration of the procedure were significantly lower in the group of patients wearing the video glasses!
Lind A, Ahsan M, Totzeck M, Al-Rashid F, Haddad A, Dubler S, et al. Virtual reality-assisted distraction during transcatheter aortic valve implantation under local anaesthesia: a randomised study. Int J Cardiol. 2023 Sep 15;387:131130. doi:10.1016/j.ijcard.2023.131130. Universitätsklinikum Essen.

Audiovisual distraction to reduce stress and anxiety in patients during coronary angiography: use of the HappyMed glasses (2021)

  • 49% reduction in anxiety and stress levels in the HappyMed glasses group compared with baseline
  • Analgosedation with midazolam was used at a 50% lower total dose in the HappyMed glasses group
  • With fentanyl, a dose saving of 57% was recorded
Erste Anwendungsbeobachtung in der Kardiologie: Verglichen wurden 12 Patienten, 6 mit und 6 ohne Videobrille, bei ähnlicher Eingriffsdauer (36 vs. 34 Minuten) und vergleichbarem Ausgangsniveau. Die Autoren empfehlen eine randomisierte Folgestudie.
Rafflenbeul E, Reuleke S, Hennersdorf F. Audiovisuelle Ablenkung zur Stress-/Angstreduktion bei Patienten während Koronarangiographien: Einsatz der HappyMed-Brille [Abstract P749]. Clin Res Cardiol. 2021. doi:10.1007/s00392-021-01933-9 . Schön Klinik Hamburg Eilbek.

Orthopaedics:

1 Study

Effect of HappyMed vs. self-selected relaxation music on stress and anxiety during orthopaedic procedures (at least 30 minutes) under regional anaesthesia (2023)

  • Significant reduction in anxiety
  • Glasses-based distraction techniques have been shown to have a positive influence on overall satisfaction with outpatient procedures
Demirci H, van der Storm SL, Huizing NJ, Fräser M, Stufkens SAS, Krips R, et al. Watching a movie or listening to music is effective in managing perioperative anxiety and pain: a randomised controlled trial. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2023 Dec;31(12):6069-79. doi:10.1007/s00167-023-07629-z . Amsterdam UMC.

Oncology:

2 Studies

Patient and user satisfaction with the HappyMed Video Glasses (2019)

  • 67% of patients said they felt better with the video glasses than without them
  • 73% of patients said that time passed more quickly with the video glasses
  • 60% of patients would like to use the HappyMed Video Glasses again
  • 83% of patients liked the selection of films
  • 64% of medical staff said that the HappyMed Video Glasses made the treatment situation more relaxed for them
Höfinger R. Patientenbefragung in der Kinderonkologie. Wien: St. Anna Kinderspital; 2019.

Patient satisfaction and subjective perception of time (2019)

  • 100% of patients would like to use the HappyMed Video Glasses again
  • 100% of patients liked the selection of films
  • 91% of patients said that time passed more quickly with the video glasses
  • 73% of patients said they felt better with the video glasses than without them (Ø: 1 with HappyMed | Ø: 2 without HappyMed on a scale of 1–6)
Höfinger R. Patientenwohlbefinden und -zufriedenheit/Zufriedenheit der Ärzte mit HappyMed/Einsparung von Medikation mit HappyMed. Freiburg: Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Zentrum für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin; 2019.

Dentistry:

2 Studies

Study conducted as part of a doctoral thesis in paediatric dentistry (2017)

  • The dentists were more motivated and more relaxed when they used the HappyMed Video Glasses during treatment (3.7 and 3.5 on a 5-point Likert scale). With children, HappyMed works for fissure sealing, restorative therapy and endodontics.
  • The video glasses reduced anxiety and the perception of time and provided distraction from the treatment environment: 80% of the children perceived the treatment as subjectively shorter. Treatment with the video glasses was perceived as more pleasant, and 90% of the children would like to use the video glasses again.
  • 67% of parents rated treatment with the video glasses as better than without them
Schönberger L. Evaluierung der Anwendungs- und Benutzerfreundlichkeit des audiovisuellen 3D-Systems HappyMed bei der zahnärztlichen Behandlung aus Sicht der Kinder im Alter von 8-10 Jahren [Diplomarbeit]. Wien: Medizinische Universität Wien; 2018.

Effekte audiovisueller Ablenkung bei zahnmedizinischen Eingriffen an Erwachsenen – eine Fragebogenstudie (2017)

  • 98% of patients want to use HappyMed again
  • 95% of patients would recommend their dentist more often if he used HappyMed. The treatment was better accepted with HappyMed.
  • Fewer treatment sounds perceived: patients perceived the sounds of the treatment significantly less (p ≤ 0.05).
Berger C. Effekte audiovisueller Beeinflussung im Rahmen zahnmedizinischer Eingriffe bei Erwachsenen – eine Fragebogenstudie [Diplomarbeit]. Wien: Medizinische Universität Wien; 2017.

Geriatrics:

1 Study

Audiovisual stimulation as a sleep aid without medication (2016)

  • HappyMed helped patients diagnosed with sleep disorders to fall asleep faster and sleep better through the night. In 3 out of 12 cases, it was even possible to reduce sleep medication.
  • Falling asleep faster: without the glasses, 25% of residents took up to 60 minutes to fall asleep. With HappyMed, all of them fell asleep within 30 minutes, more than half of them in less than 15 minutes.
  • Objectively measurable: sleep quality measured by activity tracker improved in 58% of residents.
  • Less sleep medication: in 3 out of 12 cases, the dose of the usual sleep medication could be reduced.
Haider, V., Ohrenberger, G.  (2016). HappyHour – Eine Pilotstudie zur Messung der Schlafqualität durch audiovisuelle Stimulierung. Masterarbeit. IMC Fachhochschule Krems, Krems, Austria.

Become a study partner

Get in touch with us if you are interested in clinical studies or are planning one.
Possible areas of application include:

  • Anaesthesia
  • Intensive care
  • Dermatology
  • Oncology
  • Gynaecology
  • Paediatrics
  • Orthopaedics
  • Cardiology
  • Dentistry
  • Urology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Surgery
  • Imaging
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