A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECT OF PREOPERATIVE EDUCATION ABOUT SPINAL ANESTHESIA ON ANXIETY AND POSTOPERATIVE PAIN IN PARTURIENT MOTHERS UNDERGOING CESAREAN SECTION

Dr. Chhavi Goel*, Dr. Rajat Garg and Dr. J. C. Dureja

ABSTRACT

Background: Patients planned for surgery usually have preoperative anxiety. Incomplete information about the surgery and anesthesia may cause an increase in anxiety. Cesarean section (CS) is a common surgery in our college and post operative pain after CS is a common problem. Aim: The present study was carried out to asses if preoperative education via communication and handout about spinal anesthesia can reduce anxiety and postoperative pain in parturient mothers undergoing CS under spinal anesthesia. Methods and Materials: We randomized 90 parturient mothers undergoing CS into two equal groups, study (Group A) and control group (Group B).The study group was given a handout and structured education about spinal anesthesia. The control group was given routine preoperative information. The Amsterdam preoperative anxiety and information scale (APAIS) was used to measure anxiety preoperatively and visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain at 6 h and 24 h post operatively. Statistical Analysis: The two groups were compared using Student’s t test and non-parametric Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney U test. Result: The median difference in preoperative anxiety scores (APAIS) in the two groups was found to be 8.00 (p<0.001), which was significant statistically. The median value of postoperative pain analyzed using VAS after giving education, at 6 h was significantly reduced in Group A (6.00) as compared to Group B (9.00). The median value of VAS score at 24 h was significantly different in both groups. It was 1.0 in Group A, whereas the same was 6.50 in Group B (p<0.00). The median difference in hours in the duration of analgesia between the two groups was 0.62, which was not significant statistically (p<0.10). Conclusion: A planned preoperative education and handout with details about spinal anesthesia can have a significant impact on reducing the preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain in parturient mothers.

Keywords: Cesarean section, educational handout, spinal anesthesia.