Effect of Aromatherapy for Postoperative Pain Management in the Postanesthesia Recovery Room: A Systematic Review

To analyze available evidence in the literature on the effect of aromatherapy for the management of postoperative pain in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU).

Systematic review according to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) model and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement.

The search was carried out in August 2023, using descriptors and keywords, in the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Excerpta Medica Database, PUBMED, Scopus, Virtual Health Library, Google Scholar, CAPES, BDTD, and ProQuest portals of theses and dissertations, with no language restrictions or time limit. The quality of evidence was assessed using the tool JBI's "critical appraisal checklist for randomized controlled trials." PROSPERO Registration: CRD42023493421.

A total of 2,251 studies were investigated, of which 7 studies were included in this review. All of the studies used the inhalation route to administer aromatherapy. They used essential oils such as lavender, lemon, sweet orange, geranium, clary sage, and damascene rose. Most applied the Visual Analog Scale to assess pain. Six studies showed that aromatherapy was effective in relieving pain in the PACU. Studies also observed a reduction in blood pressure, heart rate, incidence of nausea and vomiting, and a decrease in the necessity of antiemetics.

The findings emphasize the promising positive effect of aromatherapy for pain management in postoperative care in the PACU. With proper training, aromatherapy can be considered an adjuvant intervention to be carried out by the nursing team.