Preoperative Anxiety in Patients With Nonmelanoma Skin Tumors of the Face

The manifestation of preoperative anxiety often emerges when a patient is about to experience a surgical procedure. Especially in facial plastic surgery, where the reconstruction region is very strictly confined and the visibility of the outcome is undeniable, an upcoming surgery may easily provoke the feeling of anxiety. The aim of this study is to assess the number of patients that undergo preoperative anxiety and to associate it with several factors found to be concerning for them. Two hundred twenty-eight adult (>18 years) patients with facial nonmelanoma skin tumors, from a Plastic Surgery Clinic in a major Oncology Hospital in Athens, were included in the study and were given questionnaires and a Numeric Rating Scale in order to qualitate and quantitate their preoperative anxiety. Their responses were categorized and examined using the method of content analysis. 93.8% (n = 214) reported feeling anxious preoperatively, while the remaining 6.2% (n = 14) stated the opposite. Data showed that higher scores were documented when the patients were older, had had previous surgeries or had previously undergone general anesthesia, major procedures or procedures in the periorbital area. Gender was not found to be associated with preoperative anxiety. The main concern, finally, of most patients was the success of the outcome of the surgery.