Do not mask the mask: use it as a premedicant

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Anesthesiology
• Child Psychology

Background:

• Preoperative anxiety is common in children, leading to resistance during mask application and prolonged anesthesia induction.
• Familiarity with anesthesia equipment, such as masks, can mitigate fear and improve cooperation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of preoperative mask familiarization in reducing anxiety and improving mask acceptance during gaseous induction in children.
• To assess the impact of mask play on the total mask time (TMT) required for anesthesia induction.

Main Methods:

• Fifty children were randomly assigned to either a mask group (received a mask to play with preoperatively) or an informed group (received standard verbal information).
• Both groups received midazolam premedication.
• Anxiety levels, mask acceptance quality, and TMT were assessed using the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale and direct measurement.

Main Results:

• Children in the mask group exhibited significantly lower anxiety levels during anesthesia induction compared to the informed group (P < 0.05).
• Mask acceptance quality was superior in the mask group.
• Total mask time was reduced in the mask group (5.1 ± 1.3 min) compared to the informed group (7 ± 0.9 min).

Conclusions:

• Preoperative play with anesthesia masks effectively alleviates anxiety and enhances mask acceptance in pediatric patients.
• This intervention shortens the induction period, making gaseous anesthesia induction more feasible and acceptable for children.