Does Style of Pre-sedation Instructions Improve Patient Outcomes in Ambulatory Anesthesia for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?

Does a Pre-sedation Guided Visualization Exercise Improve Outcomes in Ambulatory Anesthesia for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: A Double-blinded, Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the impact of a brief guided visualization exercise on anesthesia-related outcomes in oral and maxillofacial surgery in patients scheduled for ambulatory anesthesia in the oral and maxillofacial surgery clinic. Researchers will compare these patients, who will receive the guided visualization exercise in addition to standardized pre-operative instructions, to patients who will only receive the standardized pre-operative instructions. The following outcomes will be measured for both groups:

• A seven-point Anesthesia Experience Survey
• Face-Legs-Activity-Cry-Consolability (FLACC) scores at three points in time during the anesthetic - during local anesthesia, during surgery, and fifteen minutes after surgery has concluded
• Amount of medications used during the sedation
• Length of sedation

Inclusion Criteria:

• Subjects within ages 8 to 70.
• Subjects planned for ambulatory intravenous sedation in the oral and maxillofacial surgery clinic.
• Ability to understand verbal English or understand instructions using a sign-language or voice interpreter of their native language.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subjects who cannot understand the instructions, even with an interpreter (extremes of age, cognitive impairments, severe psychiatric disease that may affect participation)
• Subjects not undergoing intravenous sedation (oral sedation, nitrous oxide, local anesthesia)
• Subjects undergoing anesthesia in other environments (gastrointestinal suite, operating rooms, interventional radiology)