The nature of pre-operative anxiety

In a study of 247 patients who had general anaesthesia for dental procedures, the incidence of individual anxieties was noted using a questionnaire completed by the patient. The most common anxieties related to the period before transfer to the operating theatre, intra-operative awareness and postoperative pain. These anxieties were present in over half the patients questioned. The follow-up questionnaire was completed by 207 patients in order to indicate which anxieties they would expect to have if they needed anaesthesia in the future. All anxieties were less frequent than found before operation.