Effect of Preoperative Anesthesia Consultation on Decreasing Anxiety in Patients Undergoing Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: Preoperative anxiety is the subject of major concern for many patients. PURPOSE: The current study aimed at determining the effect of anesthesia consultation on decreasing anxiety in patients undergoing oral and maxillofacial surgery. MATERIALS AND METHOD: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 250 patients undergoing different maxillofacial surgeries. The data collection instruments included a questionnaire containing the Spielberger state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) and a researcher-made questionnaire with queries on the demographic characteristics and surgery-related information. Analysis of the data was performed in SPSS, using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: The findings showed that the majority of patients (38.4%) had moderate anxiety; there was no significant difference between the consultation and control groups in terms of age and gender. Also, the scores of state and trait anxiety were significantly lower in the consultation group, compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: The present results showed that preoperative anesthetic consultation reduced preoperative anxiety, compared with the control group. Our findings suggest that anesthetic counseling services should be provided for individuals experiencing high levels of stress.