Perioperative Caregiver Education Using Animated Videos for Pediatric Tonsillectomy: A Randomized Controlled Study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Otolaryngology
• Medical Education Technology
• Quality Improvement Research

Background:

• Traditional perioperative teaching has limitations.
• Information technologies offer potential to enhance patient education beyond clinical visits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess if an animated surgical video improves caregiver satisfaction in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy.
• To evaluate the impact of multimedia platforms on patient education and resource utilization.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, single-blinded randomized-controlled trial involving 100 pediatric patients and their caregivers.
• Intervention group received traditional education plus an animated surgical video; control group received traditional education only.
• Caregiver satisfaction measured using the Care Transitions Measures (CTM-15) questionnaire; resource utilization and qualitative feedback were also analyzed.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in overall caregiver satisfaction (CTM-15 scores) between the intervention and control groups.
• Caregivers in the intervention group were less likely to make multiple postoperative calls to medical professionals (2% vs 16%).
• The animated platform was highly rated for usefulness (98%) and engagement (94%) by caregivers.

Conclusions:

• Animated surgical guides serve as a valuable supplement to traditional clinician-led teaching.
• This technology may help reduce perioperative resource utilization by decreasing unnecessary patient calls.