Anesthesiologists' perception of patients' anxiety under regional anesthesia

Hatem A Jlala, Nigel M Bedforth, Jonathan G Hardman, Hatem A Jlala, Nigel M Bedforth, Jonathan G Hardman

Abstract

The aim of this survey is to report anesthesiologists' perception of patients' anxiety under regional anesthesia, its frequency, effects and causes, and the strategies employed to reduce it. Electronic questionnaires were sent to all grades of anesthesiologists in Nottingham, UK. The response rate for the survey was 79%. Over half of the anesthesiologists in our region believe that anxiety during regional anesthesia is not common. Surgery and anesthesia, followed by block failure were reported by anesthesiologists as the most common causes of patients' anxiety. Frequently employed techniques to manage anxiety were communication or sedation. Most respondents felt that regional anesthesia provides good analgesia and patient satisfaction. However, 20% felt that regional anesthesia is painful or unpleasant for patients, perhaps explaining the reluctance by some anesthesiologists to perform regional anesthesia.

Keywords: regional anesthesia; regional block.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Anesthesiologists’ management strategies to reduce patients’ anxiety.

References

    1. Hashimoto Y, Baba S, Koh H, Takagi H, Ishihara H, Matsuki A. Anxiolytic effect of pre-operative showing of anesthesia video for surgical patients. Masui. 1993;42:611–616.
    1. Shevde K, Panagopoulos G. A survey of 800 patients’ knowledge, attitudes and concerns regarding anesthesia. Anesth Analg. 1991;73:190–198.
    1. Norris W, Baird WL. Pre-operative anxiety: a study of the incidence and aetiology. Br J Anaesth. 1967;39:503–509.
    1. Scott LE, Clum GA, Peoples JB. Pre-operative predictors of postoperative pain. Pain. 1983;15:283–293.
    1. Mitchell MJ. Psychological preparation for patients undergoing day surgery. Ambul Surg. 2000;8:19–29.
    1. Mitchell M. Patients’ perceptions of pre-operative preparation for day surgery. J Adv Nurs. 1997;26:356–363.
    1. Carr E, Katrina B, Sandra A, Paul S. Patterns and frequency of anxiety in women undergoing gynecological surgery. J Clin Nurs. 2006;15:341–352.
    1. Kindler CH, Harms C, Amsler F, Ihde-Scholl T, Scheidegger D. The Visual Analog Scale allows effective measurement of pre-operative anxiety and detection of patients’ anesthetic concerns. Anesth Analg. 2000;90:706–712.
    1. Mackenzie N. Sedation during regional anaesthesia: indications, advantages and methods. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 1996;13:2–7.
    1. Bechtold ML, Perez RA, Puli SR, Marshall JB. Effect of music on patients undergoing outpatient colonoscopy. World J Gastroenterol. 2006;12:7309–7312.
    1. Bondy LR, Sims N, Schroeder DR, Offord KP, Narr BJ. The effect of anesthetic patient education on pre-operative patient anxiety. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 1999;24:158–164.
    1. Hughes S. The effects of giving patients preoperative information. Nurs Stand. 2002;16:33–37.
    1. Klopfenstein CE, Forster A, Van Gessel E. Anesthetic assessment in an outpatient consultation clinic reduces pre-operative anxiety. Can J Anaesth. 2000;47:511–515.
    1. Badner NH, Nielson WR, Munk S, Kwiatkowska C, Gelb AW. Preoperative anxiety: detection and contributing factors. Can J Anaesth. 1990;37:444–447.
    1. Johanna H, Marita P, Vesa V, Pekka L. Fear of patients related to coronary arteriography. J Adv Nurs. 1998;28:54–62.
    1. Hicks JA, Jenkins JG. The measurement of preoperative anxiety. J R Soc Med. 1988;81:517–519.
    1. Huppe M, Uhlig T, Heinze J, Vogelsang H, Schmucker P. Methodological approaches for the assessment of emotional states in anesthesiology. Anasthesiol Intensivmed Notfallmed Schmerzther. 2000;35:3–11.
    1. Mitchell M. Conscious surgery: influence of the environment on patient anxiety. J Adv Nurs. 2008;64:261–271.
    1. Jlala H, French J, Foxall G, Hardman J, Bedforth N. Effect of pre- operative multimedia information on perioperative anxiety in patients undergoing procedures under regional anaesthesia. Br J Anaesth. 2010;104:369–374.
    1. Inglis S, Farnill D. The effects of providing pre-operative statistical anaesthetic-risk information. Anaesth Intensive Care. 1993;21:799–805.
    1. Garden AL, Merry AF, Holland RL, Petrie KJ. Anaesthesia information – what patients want to know. Anaesth Intensive Care. 1996;24:594–598.
    1. Hu P, Harmon D, Frizelle H. Patient comfort during regional anesthesia. J Clin Anesth. 2007;19:67–74.
    1. Hyde R, Bryden F, Asbury AJ. How would patients prefer to spend the waiting time before their operations? Anaesthesia. 1998;53:192–195.
    1. Bayar A, Tuncay I, Atasoy N, Ayoglu H, Keser S, Ege A. The effect of watching live arthroscopic views on postoperative anxiety of patients. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2008;16:982–987.
    1. Salzwedel C, Petersen C, Blanc I, Koch U, Goetz AE, Schuster M. The effect of detailed, video-assisted anesthesia risk education on patient anxiety and the duration of the preanesthetic interview: a randomized controlled trial. Anesth Analg. 2008;106:202–209.
    1. Done ML, Lee A. The use of a video to convey pre-anesthetic information to patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. Anesth Analg. 1998;87:531–536.
    1. Prabhu M, Wang LF, Tait AR, Bullough AS. A randomized controlled study of whether the partner’s presence in the operating room during neuraxial anesthesia for cesarean delivery reduces patient anxiety. Int J Obstet Anesth. 2009;18:362–367.
    1. Lavidalea M, Murata O, Valléa B, Maguèsa J, Fuziera R, Richez A. Acute patient’s anxiety increases axillary brachial plexus block failure [Abstract] Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2006;31:e2.
    1. Rung GW, McQuillan PM, Williams DP, Riemondy S. Patients’ perception of regional anesthesia at a university hospital. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 1998;23:61.

Source: PubMed

Patrocinadores e Colaboradores

Condições médicas

Intervenções de drogas

3
Se inscrever