Imagine putting on a headset and being transported inside your body, getting to see what your surgeon will see and taking a look at the issue up close.That's how Cincinnati Children's Hospital helped prepare one Wyoming, Ohio, boy for his open-heart surgery and it's changed his life in more ways than one.Brayden Otten is no stranger to hospitals.Eight hours after his birth his parents learned his heart wasn't normal. "Sometimes it only forms a small ventricle on the left side of the heart or no ventricle at all. In Brayden's case it was small," his dad John Otten said.From that moment, Brayden's life went down a different path.It was on with several surgeries, but still full of fun, baseball, fishing and love from his furry family members."He's been really strong making sure he's as normal as any kid out there," said his dad.Recently, Brayden's cardiologist noticed some changes and experts saw this as a chance to create a new future for him."Basically, do a revision of initial open-heart surgeries and create two ventricles where there used to be only one," Otten said.They explained it to the 12-year-old in a language he knows well, gaming.They took his video game talent and amplified it to put Brayden and his heart at the center, using virtual reality. "It was amazing. We handed it to him. All of a sudden he put it on, knew exactly what to do and was in the space," said Director of Congenital Heart Surgery at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Dr. David Morales.Morales took Brayden inside his heart.Video showed him detailing every step of the procedure as Brayden explored the inner workings of his ticker."It breaks it down. It takes away all that technical jargon," said Brayden's mother Michelle Otten."Doctor Morales was saying, 'Ok, so this is where I'm gonna make this cut," she said. Brayden was a natural in this virtual space. "I thought it was pretty cool," he said.It was a full-circle moment for Dr. Ryan Moore who has known Brayden since birth and is spearheading this technology."As someone who grew up with video games and is a gamer, it means a lot to me that I was talking to Brayden's parents, after that experience now he wants to become a doctor who develops games to help save kids," said Moore, Director of the Heart Inst. Digital Healthcare Innovation Group at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.Brayden's family said there was a noticeable shift in his confidence after the virtual reality experience. No one really knew how long Brayden's recovery would take in the hospital.Doctors thought maybe three to four weeks.But Brayden was sent home around two weeks after his surgery and will be able to spend Christmas with his family.
Imagine putting on a headset and being transported inside your body, getting to see what your surgeon will see and taking a look at the issue up close.
That's how Cincinnati Children's Hospital helped prepare one Wyoming, Ohio, boy for his open-heart surgery and it's changed his life in more ways than one.
Brayden Otten is no stranger to hospitals.
Eight hours after his birth his parents learned his heart wasn't normal.
"Sometimes it only forms a small ventricle on the left side of the heart or no ventricle at all. In Brayden's case it was small," his dad John Otten said.
From that moment, Brayden's life went down a different path.
It was on with several surgeries, but still full of fun, baseball, fishing and love from his furry family members.
"He's been really strong making sure he's as normal as any kid out there," said his dad.
Recently, Brayden's cardiologist noticed some changes and experts saw this as a chance to create a new future for him.
"Basically, do a revision of initial open-heart surgeries and create two ventricles where there used to be only one," Otten said.
They explained it to the 12-year-old in a language he knows well, gaming.
They took his video game talent and amplified it to put Brayden and his heart at the center, using virtual reality.
"It was amazing. We handed it to him. All of a sudden he put it on, knew exactly what to do and was in the space," said Director of Congenital Heart Surgery at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Dr. David Morales.
Morales took Brayden inside his heart.
Video showed him detailing every step of the procedure as Brayden explored the inner workings of his ticker.
"It breaks it down. It takes away all that technical jargon," said Brayden's mother Michelle Otten.
"Doctor Morales was saying, 'Ok, so this is where I'm gonna make this cut," she said.
Brayden was a natural in this virtual space.
"I thought it was pretty cool," he said.
It was a full-circle moment for Dr. Ryan Moore who has known Brayden since birth and is spearheading this technology.
"As someone who grew up with video games and is a gamer, it means a lot to me that I was talking to Brayden's parents, after that experience now he wants to become a doctor who develops games to help save kids," said Moore, Director of the Heart Inst. Digital Healthcare Innovation Group at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
Brayden's family said there was a noticeable shift in his confidence after the virtual reality experience.
No one really knew how long Brayden's recovery would take in the hospital.
Doctors thought maybe three to four weeks.
But Brayden was sent home around two weeks after his surgery and will be able to spend Christmas with his family.
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