We oftentimes picture a surgical procedure as an operation that is performed while the patient is under general anesthesia and in a sleep-like state, but that’s not always the case. In many types of surgeries and procedures, the patient is given local anesthesia to numb the area before the surgeon begins, but the patient is awake and aware throughout the procedure. As you might have guessed, this can sometimes lead to feelings of anxiety and stress in a patient who is consciously being operated on.
This idea led researchers to see if there were things that could be done to help ease anxiety and relieve stress in patients who were awake during a surgical procedure. They thought that playing music or having an assistant converse and distract the patient could better help reduce anxiety compared to the standard level of care which doesn’t involve any patient-focused techniques. Interestingly, their findings told a different story than what they expected.
To Distract, Or Not To Distract?
While they didn’t expect music or other distraction techniques to fully rid patients of anxiety and stress during surgery, they did expect the techniques to prove more effective than the absence of any technique. What they found was that the most effective care guideline was based on individual preference.
It may not seem all that shocking that patients had individual preferences, but the findings should help doctors provide better care for patients going forward. For example, when looking at the data, researchers found that music and distraction techniques during a surgical procedure helped calm stress and relieve anxiety in some patients. Other patients found the music and distractions unhelpful, and they actually said that the techniques created additional stress because it became harder to attend to the activities of the surgeon and the medical procedure.
So while it shouldn’t come as a surprise that patients had their own preference during surgery, the findings suggest that care providers should have a conversation with their patients prior to their procedure about how they can help keep the patient calm during surgery. Some patients may want to listen to music or have a conversation with a staff member during the procedure, and others may want to focus on the procedure. Doctors and patients should also discuss some options if the current method is not providing the anxiety relief that they had hoped.
So when it comes to reducing anxiety during a surgical operation, everybody is different. If you need to have a minimally invasive procedure performed and you’ll be awake during the operation, talk with your surgeon about how you’d like to pass the time during the procedure. Dr. Silverman and his team will do everything in their power to make your procedure as comfortable and stress-free as possible.