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The Effect of Aromatherapy on Anxiety and Pain in Patients Undergoing Oculoplastic Surgery
Michael Chang1, Jamie Schaefer2, Anthony Leonard1
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia, U.S.A.
Purpose:
To determine the effect of aromatherapy on postoperative anxiety and pain in patients undergoing oculoplastic surgery.
Methods:
A randomized controlled study of 60 patients who underwent monitored anesthesia care sedation for oculoplastic procedures from August 2018 to November 2020. Patients were randomized to an aromatherapy (n = 32) or placebo (n = 28) condition. Anxiety was measured with State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and visual analog scale for anxiety. Pain was measured with a visual analog scale for pain.
Results:
Compared with control patients, aromatherapy patients had significantly lower postoperative State-Trait Anxiety Inventory state anxiety (24.1 vs. 29.1; p = 0.05) and visual analog scale pain scores (1.9 vs. 3.2; p = 0.05). Aromatherapy patients also had shorter stays in the postanesthesia care unit than control patients (57.7 vs. 79.4 minutes; p = 0.03).
Conclusions:
Patients who received aromatherapy reported lower postoperative anxiety and pain. Aromatherapy may be a useful adjuvant analgesic and/or anxiolytic for patients undergoing oculoplastic procedures with monitored anesthesia care sedation.
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