Evaluating the Impact of a Telepresence Robot Intervention on Preoperative Anxiety in Children: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Preoperative anxiety is common among pediatric patients and is associated with adverse perioperative outcomes. This prospective single-arm pilot study evaluated the feasibility of the WeGo Telepresence Robotics Program—a real-time, child-operated virtual tour—as a tool to reduce preoperative anxiety. Fifteen pediatric patients (ages 5-14) undergoing elective surgery participated in a WeGo tour before surgery. Anxiety was measured using the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS) before and after the intervention. Mean mYPAS scores significantly decreased from 33.22 ± 12.11 to 24.00 ± 1.76 (P < .001), with no significant associations between anxiety reduction and age, sex, or prior surgery. All patients experienced a reduction or maintenance of low anxiety levels, including those with brief technical interruptions. These findings support the feasibility of implementing WeGo in the preoperative setting and suggest potential benefits as a non-pharmacological tool, with future applications as an adjunct to standard care. Further studies are warranted to validate efficacy and assess broader applications.