Device helps children undergo cancer treatment at University of Michigan Hospital
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - A new device used by teams at the University of Michigan is helping young patients get through radiation cancer treatments.
The Audio-Visual Assisted Ambience and Therapeutic Radiation device, or AVATAR, projects movies and TV shows on a screen positioned directly above patients' heads during radiation therapy.
Developed at Stanford University, a study found the device helped nearly 80% of pediatric patients avoid anesthesia during treatment.
"Bringing that here has been a wonderful addition to what I think is a very much team-based approach to making the treatment of cancer for our youngest patients something that they don't have to fear," said radiation oncologist Michelle Kim.
Child Life specialists work with patients to improve the treatment experience.
This includes driving to treatment rooms in a motorized vehicle before they must be completely still.
"For the safety of their treatment, they have to remain very still," said child life specialist Andrea Rentz. "It's really important that their attention is held captive, which is what the avatar provides."
The Child Life room has a doll to demonstrate what the process will look like. The team says some patients are not ready for their treatment to end.
"Some have been upset or even cried when they realized that the radiation treatment had come to an end because they did not have negative associations with it," said Kim.
"We have a child right now who is really into Taylor Swift, who is getting through her treatment by watching the Era's tour," said Rentz. "It's really helpful that it's a three-and-a-half-hour special because it's really taken her through her 45-minute treatments this week."