Visiting the Operating Theatre Before Surgery Did Not Reduce the Anxiety in Children and Their Attendant Parent

Abstract

PurposeThe induction of anesthesia is known to be the most stressful part of the day of surgery for the child. Non-pharmacologic intervention is a field of great interest. The aims of this prospective randomized study were to evaluate if (1). A preoperative visit to the operating theatre would attenuate the anxiety of the child on the day of surgery. (2). A preoperative visit to the operating theatre would attenuate the anxiety of the parent on the day of surgery. Design and MethodsChildren aged 3–12years and their parents were randomly assigned to the intervention group visiting the operating theatre before surgery and the control group, which never visited there. Anxiety of the children in the preoperative period was measured by using the Swedish version of the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS). Parent anxiety was measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) instrument. ResultsBoth the children and their parents showed an increase in anxiety during the day of surgery up to the induction of anesthesia. Children in the intervention group showed no reduction in anxiety compared to the control group. There were no differences in anxiety between the parents in the intervention and the control groups. ConclusionsThough a preoperative visit to the surgery department and extensive information and therapeutic play does not seem to decrease the anxiety of the children scheduled for surgery and their parents it might be very important as information is highly wanted. Non-pharmacological interventions still need investigation in larger studies.