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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2024 Nov-Dec;40(6):677-680.
doi: 10.1097/IOP.0000000000002692. Epub 2024 May 22.

The Effect of Aromatherapy on Anxiety and Pain in Patients Undergoing Oculoplastic Surgery

Michael Chang  1 , Jamie Schaefer  2 , Anthony Leonard  1 , Pavithra Ranganathan Ellison  3 , Ruifeng Cui  1 , Raquel Evans  4 , Nina Calvert  3 , Bradley Thuro  1 , Aaron Fay  5 , John Nguyen  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

The Effect of Aromatherapy on Anxiety and Pain in Patients Undergoing Oculoplastic Surgery

Michael Chang et al. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 2024 Nov-Dec.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the effect of aromatherapy on postoperative anxiety and pain in patients undergoing oculoplastic surgery.

Methods: A randomized controlled study of 60 patients who underwent monitored anesthesia care sedation for oculoplastic procedures from August 2018 to November 2020. Patients were randomized to an aromatherapy (n = 32) or placebo (n = 28) condition. Anxiety was measured with State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and visual analog scale for anxiety. Pain was measured with a visual analog scale for pain.

Results: Compared with control patients, aromatherapy patients had significantly lower postoperative State-Trait Anxiety Inventory state anxiety (24.1 vs. 29.1; p = 0.05) and visual analog scale pain scores (1.9 vs. 3.2; p = 0.05). Aromatherapy patients also had shorter stays in the postanesthesia care unit than control patients (57.7 vs. 79.4 minutes; p = 0.03).

Conclusions: Patients who received aromatherapy reported lower postoperative anxiety and pain. Aromatherapy may be a useful adjuvant analgesic and/or anxiolytic for patients undergoing oculoplastic procedures with monitored anesthesia care sedation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no financial or conflicts of interest to disclose.

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