Effect of Preanesthetic Assessment Timing on Preoperative Anxiety in Ambulatory Surgery Patients

Authors : Nazire Ateş Ayhan, Volkan Hancı, Şule Özbilgin, Bülent Serhan Yurtlu
Pages : 61-69
Doi:10.52827/hititmedj.1448591
View : 28 | Download : 18
Publication Date : 2025-02-25
Article Type : Research Paper
Abstract :Objective: Preoperative anxiety is a prevalent concern among ambulatory surgery patients. Besides controversial findings between preoperative anesthesia evaluation and anxiety in ambulatory surgical patients, its optimal timing on anxiety levels remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the impact of preoperative anesthesia evaluation timing on anxiety levels in patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. Material and Method: A prospective, non-randomized, observational study was conducted between May 2016 and August 2016. Adult patients scheduled for elective surgery under local anesthesia with sedation were included. Participants were divided based on the timing of anesthesia evaluation: Group OP (evaluated before surgery) and Group AS (assessed on the day of surgery). Preoperative anxiety was measured using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at two time points: just before preoperative anesthesia evaluation (Score 1) and immediately before surgery (Score 2). Results: The study comprised 144 patients, with 72 in each group. No significant differences between groups were observed in baseline sociodemographic characteristics (p>0.05), except for significantly older patients in Group OP than those in Group AS (p=0.030). Median STAI-S, STAI-T, and VAS scores (Score 1) showed no significant differences between groups (p>0.05). Both groups significantly increased STAI-S scores between Score 1 and Score 2 measurements (p=0.015 for Group OP and p<0.001 for Group AS). Nevertheless, changes between Score-1 and Score-2 values of STAI-S scales were similar (p=0.962). STAI-S scores were significantly correlated with VAS scores separately in Groups OP and AS at two different time points (p<0.05). Conclusion: The timing of preoperative anesthesia evaluation, whether conducted before or on the day of surgery, did not significantly affect preoperative anxiety levels in ambulatory surgery patients.
Keywords : ambulatuvar cerrahi işlemler, anestezik değerlendirme, durum-sürekli anksiyete envanteri, görsel analog skala, preoperatif anksiyete

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL