Effects of Acupressure on Preoperative Acute Anxiety in Cesarean Section Under Spinal Anesthesia: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Study.

Anxiety during the preoperative period is a common problem experienced by women who will deliver by cesarean section. The use of nonpharmacological methods to control anxiety in pregnant women has been shown to be more appropriate. This double-blind randomized controlled experimental study was conducted to assess the effect of acupressure on acute anxiety developing before cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. In the present study, 82 pregnant women scheduled for surgery were randomly assigned to the acupressure and control groups including 40 and 42 persons, respectively. Acupressure was applied to HE-7 acupuncture points in the participants in the acupressure (intervention) group for 10 minutes before the surgery. The participants in the control group were subjected to the hospital protocol. Anxiety levels of the participating women were assessed twice preoperatively using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Anxiety scores of the participants in the acupressure group before the procedure (49.13 ± 6.22) were higher than were those of the participants in the control group (41.71 ± 3.26); however, after the procedure, the anxiety scores decreased statistically significantly in the acupressure group (38.30 ± 4.45) compared with the control group (52.48 ± 7.30) (P < .001). Acupressure reduced the preoperative acute anxiety suffered by the participating pregnant women.

A qualitative study of the operating room experience of patients who underwent surgery under spinal anesthesia: "It was like an adventure".

This study aimed to explore the experiences of the people who underwent orthopedic surgery under spinal anesthesia and to report their feelings and thoughts. The study was carried out using a qualitative approach. Twenty-one patients were interviewed who underwent orthopedic surgery on the first or second postoperative day. Content analysis was performed after the collection of raw data. NVIVO 12 Pro software was used for data analysis. The frequency count (f) and participant codes (P) were used for the presentation of the findings. The themes and frequency counts obtained by analyzing the interviews with the patients were as follows: "Time passed like watching a movie" (f = 213), "Like an adventure" (f = 587), and "See, feel, look" (f = 405). Five of 21 participants (23.8%) stated that they would not recommend spinal anesthesia. The findings generally indicated the anxiety caused by the unknown, fear in the preanesthetic period, operation experienced like an adventure, and a process generally completed with satisfaction.

Overcoming Language Barriers Using an Information Video on Spinal Anesthesia for Cesarean Delivery: Implementation and Impact on Maternal Anxiety.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether the implementation of an information video on spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery, narrated in a patient's first language, reduces anxiety, increases satisfaction, and improves doctor-patient communication if there is a language barrier. In South Africa, most doctors speak English, and patients speak Xhosa, with educational and cultural disparities existing in many doctor-patient interactions. METHODS: One hundred seventy-five Xhosa patients scheduled for elective cesarean delivery were enrolled in the study. The first 92 patients received "usual care" verbal explanations of the spinal anesthesia procedure (control group); the next 83 patients watched a spinal anesthesia information video (intervention group), narrated in Xhosa. Videos were displayed using smartphones. Maternal anxiety was assessed before and after spinal explanation, using a Numerical Visual Analog Anxiety Scale (NVAAS). A difference in postexplanation NVAAS score of 1.5 points between intervention and control groups was regarded as clinically significant. Patient satisfaction was assessed using the Maternal Satisfaction Scale for Cesarean Section (MSSCS). RESULTS: The mean (standard deviation [SD]) age (31.5 years [5.2 years] and 32.1 years [5.4 years]) and preexplanation NVAAS score (4.2 [3.2] and 4.0 [3.0]) of the intervention and control groups, respectively, showed no difference at baseline. The mean (SD) postexplanation decrease in NVAAS score was greater in the intervention than in the control group (1.6 [3.5] vs 0.7 [2.3]; P = .046; unadjusted mean difference, 0.9 points [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.02-1.8]). A linear regression model for the postexplanation NVAAS score showed that the intervention effect was significantly associated with the preexplanation score (P = .002), adjusted for age and English fluency. Patients with preexplanation NVAAS scores ≥5 showed a statistically significant intervention effect. There was no significant difference in patient satisfaction between the intervention and control groups. The smartphone was an accessible and convenient display medium for the video. Ninety-nine percent of patients exposed to the intervention would recommend watching the video before the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot study, lower NVAAS scores were observed in anxious patients, when a Xhosa information video was used to ameliorate challenges posed by a doctor-patient language barrier. It is easily implemented and demonstrates a novel use of mobile health technology. The study provides baseline data to inform sample size calculations for future studies. A high level of patient recommendation for the video suggests that this is an agreeable practice.

Enrollment challenges in multicenter, international studies: The example of the GAS trial.

INTRODUCTION: Randomized trials are important for generating high-quality evidence, but are perceived as difficult to perform in the pediatric population. Thus far there has been poor characterization of the barriers to conducting trials involving children, and the variation in these barriers between countries remains undescribed. The General Anesthesia compared to Spinal anesthesia (GAS) trial, conducted in seven countries between 2007 and 2013, provides an opportunity to explore these issues. METHODS: We undertook a descriptive analysis to evaluate the reasons for variation in enrollment between countries in the GAS trial, looking specifically at the number of potential subjects screened, and the subsequent application of four exclusion criteria that were applied in a hierarchical order. RESULTS: A total of 4023 patients were screened by 28 centers in seven countries. Australia and the USA screened the most subjects, accounting for 84% of all potential trial participants. The percentage of subjects eliminated from the screened pool by each exclusion criterion varied between countries. Exclusion due to a predefined condition (H1) eliminated only 5% of potential subjects in Italy and the UK, but 37% in Canada. Exclusions due to a contraindication or a physician's refusal most impacted enrollment in Australia and the USA. The patient being "too large for spinal anesthesia" was the most commonly cited by anesthetists who refused to enroll a patient (64% of anesthetist refusals). The majority of surgeon refusals came from the USA, where surgeons preferred the patient to receive a general anesthetic. The percentage of approached parents refusing to consent ranged from a low of 3% in Italy to a high of 70% in the USA and Netherlands. The most frequently cited reason for parent refusal in all countries was a preference for general anesthesia (median: 43%, range: 32%-67%). However, a sizeable proportion of parents in all countries had a contrasting preference for spinal anesthesia (median: 25%, range: 13%-31%), and 23% of U.S. parents expressed concern about randomization. CONCLUSION: The GAS trial highlights enrollment challenges that can occur when conducting multicenter, international, pediatric studies. Investigators planning future trials should be aware of potential differences in screening processes across countries, and that exclusions by anesthetists and surgeons may vary in reason, in frequency, and by country. Furthermore, investigators should be aware that the U.S. centers encountered particularly high surgeon and parental refusal rates and that U.S. parents were uniquely concerned about randomization. Planning trials that address these difficulties should increase the likelihood of successfully recruiting subjects in pediatric trials.

Music listening alleviates anxiety and physiological responses in patients receiving spinal anesthesia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the effects of listening to music on the anxiety levels and physiological responses of surgical patients receiving spinal anesthesia. METHODS: An experimental design was used in the study with an experimental group (n=50) and a control group (n=50). The experimental group received 30min of musical intervention and routine nursing care in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) while the control group received only routine nursing care. RESULTS: The study found significant differences in both anxiety and physiological indices between the two groups. The mean score of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) in the study group decreased from a pre-test score of 59.0 to a post-test score of 31.20 (t=28.63, p<0.001). Physiological indices such as heart rate (t=2.61, p=0.012), respiration rate (t=2.29, p=0.026), systolic blood pressure (t=2.30, p=0.026), and diastolic blood pressure (t=3.02, p=0.004) decreased significantly as well. Control group was not seeing significant changes from pre-op values. CONCLUSION: Listening to music while in the recovery room may decrease the level of anxiety in surgical patients receiving spinal anesthesia. The results of this study can serve as a reference for PACU nurses in utilizing music listening programs to achieve the goal of holistic care.

Patient-perceived outcomes of different anaesthetic techniques in classical surgical treatment of varicose veins of lower limbs.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the effects of spinal or locoregional anaesthesia versus local tumescent anesthesia during traditional surgical treatment of saphenous reflux, in terms of pain and postoperative functional recovery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January to December 2014, 195 consecutive interventions of stripping of the greater saphenous vein for valvular incompetence were performed. In 114 cases spinal or locoregional anaesthesia was performed (group 1), in the remaining 81 cases local anaesthesia with the tumescence technique was carried out (group 2). All patients underwent an assessment of perceived pain by means of verbal rating scale before and at the end of surgery, at discharge and after a month. The times of recovery of ambulation during hospital stay and at the discharge were recorded and use of analgesic drugs during hospitalization and at home. At the end of the study, patients were asked to express their approval rating on the type of anaesthesia. RESULTS: Patients in group 2 experienced mild to moderate intraoperative pain more frequently than patients in group 1 (p<0.001), while patients in group 1 had more mild adverse anaesthesia-related events than patients in group 2. Patients in group 2 had faster recovery of ambulation and earlier discharge than patients in group 1.Thirty-day results were similar in the two groups; however, patients in group 2 had a higher degree of satisfaction than patients in group 1 with regard to the type of anaesthesia (p<0.001) CONCLUSIONS: Both locoregional and local tumescent anaesthesia are effective and well accepted by the patients, with similar intra-hospital and 30-day results. KEY WORDS: Great Saphenous Vein, Local tumescent anaesthesia, Pain, Stripping.

The patient's experience of temporary paralysis from spinal anaesthesia, a part of total knee replacement.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe the meaning of being temporary paralysed from spinal anaesthesia when undergoing total knee replacement. BACKGROUND: Total knee arthroplasty is a common procedure, and regional anaesthesia is used as a method for anaesthetising the patient. The experience is highly individual in substance and duration, and it can extend far beyond care settings as intraoperative care and the postanaesthesia care unit that have been investigated so far. DESIGN: A qualitative phenomenological hermeneutic design was chosen to gain a deeper understanding of the experience of spinal anaesthesia, as a part of having a total knee replacement. METHODS: Twelve patients were interviewed in March 2014 after undergoing an elective total knee arthroplasty under spinal anaesthesia. The interviews were analysed with a Ricoeur-inspired interpretation method. RESULTS: Three themes were derived from the interviews: 'anaesthesia--an unavoidable necessity', 'an unrecognisable and incomprehensible body' and 'the body returns--joy and agony'. CONCLUSION: The results reveal that trust in the health care personnel and knowledge of the course of events play a key role in the experience. The trust can be breached by unforeseen events, or if the patient's experiences were not taken into account. The ability of the health care personnel to be in contact, share relevant knowledge with- and compensate for the patient is crucial in the prevention of negative experiences. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The results of this study contribute to insights and deeper knowledge that can enhance staff's ability to provide care for patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty in spinal anaesthesia. The results provide perspectives that argue for care in accordance to individual needs.

Spinal anesthesia in infants: recent developments.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Spinal anesthesia has long been described as a well-tolerated and effective means of providing anesthesia for infants undergoing lower abdominal surgery. Now, spinal anesthetics are being used for an increasing variety of surgeries previously believed to require a general anesthetic. This, along with increasing concerns over the neurocognitive effects of general anesthetics on developing brains, suggests that further exploration into this technique and its effects is essential. RECENT FINDINGS: Exposure to spinal anesthesia in infancy has not shown the same suggestions of neurocognitive detriment as those resulting from general anesthesia. Ultrasound guidance has enhanced spinal technique by providing real-time guidance into the intrathecal space and confirming medication administration location, as well as helping avoid adverse outcomes by identifying aberrant anatomy. Spinal anesthesia provides benefits over general anesthesia, including cardiorespiratory stability, shorter postoperative recovery, and faster return of gastrointestinal function. SUMMARY: Early findings of spinal anesthesia exposure in infancy have shown it to have no independent effect on neurocognitive delay as well as to provide sound cardiorespiratory stability. With safer means of administering a spinal anesthetic, such as with ultrasound guidance, it is a readily available and desirable tool for those providing anesthesia to infants.

Effect of deafferentation from spinal anesthesia on pain sensitivity and resting-state functional brain connectivity in healthy male volunteers.

Patients may perceive paradoxical heat sensation during spinal anesthesia. This could be due to deafferentation-related functional changes at cortical, subcortical, or spinal levels. In the current study, the effect of spinal deafferentation on sensory (pain) sensitivity was studied and linked to whole-brain functional connectivity as assessed by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) imaging. Deafferentation was induced by sham or spinal anesthesia (15 mg bupivacaine injected at L3-4) in 12 male volunteers. RS-fMRI brain connectivity was determined in relation to eight predefined and seven thalamic resting-state networks (RSNs) and measured before, and 1 and 2 h after spinal/sham injection. To measure the effect of deafferentation on pain sensitivity, responses to heat pain were measured at 15-min intervals on nondeafferented skin and correlated to RS-fMRI connectivity data. Spinal anesthesia altered functional brain connectivity within brain regions involved in the sensory discriminative (i.e., pain intensity related) and affective dimensions of pain perception in relation to somatosensory and thalamic RSNs. A significant enhancement of pain sensitivity on nondeafferented skin was observed after spinal anesthesia compared to sham (area-under-the-curve [mean (SEM)]: 190.4 [33.8] versus 13.7 [7.2]; p<0.001), which significantly correlated to functional connectivity changes observed within the thalamus in relation to the thalamo-prefrontal network, and in the anterior cingulate cortex and insula in relation to the thalamo-parietal network. Enhanced pain sensitivity from spinal deafferentation correlated with functional connectivity changes within brain regions involved in affective and sensory pain processing and areas involved in descending control of pain.

Perioperative psychological and music interventions in elderly patients undergoing spinal anesthesia: effect on anxiety, heart rate variability, and postoperative pain.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of perioperative psychological and music interventions in elderly patients undergoing elective surgery on anxiety, post-operative pain, and changes in heart rate variability (HRV) to ascertain if perioperative psychological and music interventions can affect overall anxiety levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourty elderly patients undergoing elective surgery were randomized to two groups; one group received psychological and music intervention, and the other was the control. The intervention group underwent psychological intervention and listening to music for 30 min before surgery. RESULTS: The mean change in HRV as determined by low frequency (LF) power measurements. After the intervention, the ratio of mean LF to high frequency (HF) power decreased significantly in the intervention group compared to before the intervention (p<0.05). In the control group, mean LF measurements and the ratio of LF:HF did not change significantly. In the intervention group, mean HF power was significantly higher after the procedure than before (p<0.01). Moreover, the mean self-rating anxiety score of the intervention group decreased after the procedure compared to before (p<0.05). The mean visual analogue score of the intervention group 6 hours after surgery was significantly lower than that of the control group (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Perioperative psychological and music interventions can reduce anxiety and postoperative pain in elderly patients.

Cognitive outcome after spinal anesthesia and surgery during infancy.

BACKGROUND: Observational studies on pediatric anesthesia neurotoxicity have been unable to distinguish long-term effects of general anesthesia (GA) from factors associated with the need for surgery. A recent study on elementary school children who had received a single GA during the first year of life demonstrated an association in otherwise healthy children between the duration of anesthesia and diminished test scores and also revealed a subgroup of children with "very poor academic achievement" (VPAA), scoring below the fifth percentile on standardized testing. Analysis of postoperative cognitive function in a similar cohort of children anesthetized with an alternative to GA may help to begin to separate the effects of anesthesia from other confounders. METHODS: We used a novel methodology to construct a combined medical and educational database to search for these effects in a similar cohort of children receiving spinal anesthesia (SA) for the same procedures. We compared former patients with a control population of students matched by grade, gender, year of testing, and socioeconomic status. RESULTS: Vermont Department of Education records were analyzed for 265 students who had a single exposure to SA during infancy for circumcision, pyloromyotomy, or inguinal hernia repair. Exposure to SA and surgery had no significant effect on the odds of children having VPAA. (mathematics: P = 0.18; odds ratio 1.50, confidence interval (CI), 0.83-2.68; reading: P = 0.55; odds ratio = 1.19, CI, 0.67-2.1). There was no relationship between duration of exposure to SA and surgery and performance on mathematics (P = 0.73) or reading (P = 0.57) standardized testing. There was a small but statistically significant decrease in reading and math scores in the exposed group (mathematics: P = 0.03; reading: P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: We found no link between duration of surgery with infant SA and scores on academic achievement testing in elementary school. We also found no relationship between infant SA and surgery with VPAA on elementary school testing, although the CIs were wide.

Comparison of patient satisfaction and cost in spinal and general anesthesia for lumbar disc surgery.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate patient satisfaction and cost in spinal and general anesthesia for lumbar disc surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was performed on 66 ASA class I-II patients with one level lumbar disc herniation (LDH). In this prospective study, patients were assigned randomly to either spinal anesthesia or general anesthesia groups. Hemodynamic variables, intraoperative opioid requirements, postoperative pain scores and analgesic requirements and complications were recorded. Patients were handed a questionnaire about the procedure they underwent to determine patient satisfaction. The costs of preoperative and postoperative anesthesia procedures, medications, and hospitalization were calculated individually. RESULTS: Spinal anesthesia and general anesthesia were similar concerning hemodynamic stability, first urination time, first mobilization time, postoperative analgesic requirement, and pain. Patients in group S needed less additional dose of fentanyl intraoperatively than the patients in group G. Patient satisfaction was significantly higher in Group S when compared to Group G. Total cost was higher in Group G compared to Group S. CONCLUSION: We conclude that successful LDH surgery can be performed using either anesthesia type. As long as patients are selected carefully, spinal anesthesia is a safe, comfortable, and a more economical alternative.

Effect of informational internet web pages on patients' decision-making: randomised controlled trial regarding choice of spinal or general anaesthesia for orthopaedic surgery.

This study explored whether patients' preference for particular types of anaesthesia could be influenced pre-operatively by giving them the addresses of various relevant websites. Patients at an orthopaedic pre-assessment education clinic completed a questionnaire, which included a short multiple-choice general knowledge quiz about anaesthesia, and also questioned them as to their choice of anaesthesia (general or neuraxial). Patients were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups. Intervention group members were given the addresses of three relevant anaesthesia and health related websites to access at home. All patients were asked to complete the questionnaires on a second occasion, before surgery. Initially, most patients stated a preference for general anaesthesia. Subsequently, the intervention group altered their preference towards neuraxial anaesthesia compared to the control group (p < or = 0.0001). The increase in median (IQR [range]) anaesthesia knowledge test score was greater in the intervention group (from 10.0 (9.0-12.0 [5.0-14.0]) to 13.0 (11.0-14.0 [6.0-14.0])) than in the control group (from 10.0 (9.0-11.5 [3.0-13.0]) to 11.0 (9.0-12.0 [4.0-14.0]); p = 0.0068).

Audio-visual distraction during spinal anaesthesia for orthopaedic surgery.

Spinal anaesthesia is an effective method of delivering anaesthesia for primary total knee replacement. A regional technique has several benefits over an opioid based general anaesthetic (Fischer 2009) (Figure 1). Pre-medication and sedation is commonly used as an adjunct to create anxiolysis and reduce stress which could be provoked by being awake in the theatre environment. However, sedation is not without its disadvantages (Absalom & Adapa 2007) (Figure 2).

A randomized controlled study of whether the partner's presence in the operating room during neuraxial anesthesia for cesarean delivery reduces patient anxiety.

BACKGROUND: This study compared anxiety in two groups of women undergoing elective cesarean delivery to ascertain if their partner's presence during neuraxial anesthesia placement affected patients' overall anxiety levels. METHODS: Three hundred fifteen patient-partner dyads were randomized to two groups: group 1 partners were present in the operating room during neuraxial anesthesia placement while group 2 partners remained outside the operating room during placement. Before surgery, all patient-partner dyads completed a survey of demographics, anesthetic experiences and baseline anxiety. Anxiety levels were rated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the state portion of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. RESULTS: The mean change in anxiety as measured by VAS among patients whose partners were present in the operating room for neuraxial anesthetic placement decreased from before to after the procedure (-4.5+/-25.8; P=0.03; 95% CI -8.55, -0.45); the mean change in anxiety in patients whose partners were not present did not alter significantly (+1.9 +/- 25.3; P=0.34; 95% CI 6.68, 12.12). Anxiety was increased among partners who were not present (+9.4, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Although patients whose partners were present in the operating room at the time of neuraxial anesthesia placement reported less anxiety over the time of the study than did patients whose partners were not present, these differences were small and are not considered to be clinically important. Increased anxiety among partners who were not present at neuraxial placements warrants further study.

[Effect of the music-therapy under spinal anesthesia].

BACKGROUND: Since no pre-medication has been widely accepted especially in spinal anesthesia, anesthesiologists should manage the control of patient's anxiety during surgery. Instead of sedatives, we have been using music-therapy during spinal anesthesia. Bispectral index monitoring (BIS) is used as one of the sedation indices in spinal anesthesia. The aim of this study was to assess the music-therapy on reducing anxiety of patients under spinal anesthesia using BIS and interview type psychology test, State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). METHODS: Fifty-eight ASA physical status I-II patients scheduled for spinal anesthesia, were randomly allocated into M group (music group, n=29) or C group (control, n=29). BIS, EMG, and SQI of both groups were obtained continuously with computer system. Patients in M group listened to music by head phone and those in C group were left free under ordinary operating theater environment. Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-TA) score was obtained preoperatively for property-based anxiety and the State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-SA) score was obtained postoperatively for condition-based anxiety. Time averaged BIS scores (pre-surgery, during-surgery and post-surgery period)were obtained during operation. RESULTS: Time averaged BIS values of M and C group in pre-surgery period, during-surgery period, and post-surgery period were 95.3+/-0.4 vs 95.8+/-0.4 (NS), 87.6+/-7.5 vs 95.1+/-2.8 (P<0.01) and 96.0+/-0.4 vs. 96.2+/-0.4 (NS), respectively. Post-surgery STAI-SA was 29.7+/-7.2 in M group vs 38.8+/-10.3 in C group (P<0.01) while pre-surgery STAI-SA scores of both groups were not different. CONCLUSIONS: Music-therapy reduced BIS value and was effective to reduce patient's anxiety during spinal anesthesia.

[Efficacy of spinal anesthesia with small-dose lidocaine in ambulatory prostate biopsy procedures for elderly patients : comparison with propofol anesthesia].

BACKGROUND: Opinions differ as to what is more appropriate anesthetic technique for elderly patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of spinal anesthesia with small-dose lidocaine and those of propofol general anesthesia in elderly patients undergoing ambulatory prostate biopsy. METHODS: Eighty ASA physical status I x II patients aged older than 65 year were randomized to receive either spinal anesthesia with 1% hyperbaric lidocaine 1 ml (10 mg) (group L) or general anesthesia with 1.0 mg x kg(-1) of propofol injected at 180 mg x kg(-1) x hr(-1) followed by continuous infusion at 8 mg x kg(-1) x hr(-1) (group P). RESULTS: Significantly higher incidences of intraoperative hypotension and respiratory depression were found in the group P compared with the group L (P < 0.05). There were no major postoperative side effects, including transient neurologic symptoms and delirious sate, in either group. Both anesthetic techniques resulted in a high rate of patient satisfaction. Total perioperative costs were significantly lower in the group L compared with the group P (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Spinal anesthesia with 10 mg of hyperbaric 1% lidocaine may be more preferable to propofol anesthesia in elderly patiens undergoing ambulatory prostate biopsy, with respect to safety and costs.