Psychological Profiling for Awake Surgery

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A qualitative approach to developing a psychometric profiling tool in order to identify patients suitable for awake surgery

• IRAS ID

  168873

• Contact name

  Gillian Foxall

• Contact email

  gillianfoxall@nhs.net

• Sponsor organisation

  Department of Research, Development & Innovations

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 2 months, 18 days

• Research summary

  Regional anaesthesia or “awake surgery” describes an anaesthetic technique enabling a surgical operation on a conscious patient. Benefits of regional anaesthesia over general anaesthesia include:
  • excellent pain management
  • reduced nausea and vomiting
  • earlier hospital discharge

  Despite evidence demonstrating safety and improved outcomes associated with regional anaesthesia, patients continue to regard awake surgery with fear and anxiety. This may result in patients refusing to consider regional anaesthetic techniques or being unable to tolerate the procedure when it starts. The latter group may then convert to general anaesthetic mid-procedure, with potential for further patient distress.

  AIMS
  This study aims to develop a simple screening tool addressing psychological
  factors predicting preference and readiness for awake surgery. This will enable ‘triage’ of patients into three categories:
  1. Ready and suitable for awake surgery
  2. May be suitable for awake surgery after appropriate preparation
  3. Consider for general anaesthetic

  A robust classification system could provide the following benefits:
  • Increased acceptability of awake surgery
  • Appropriate pre-operative patient information
  • Increased efficiency (e.g scheduling patients with experienced regional anaesthetic practitioners)
  • Improved patient experience (avoiding patient distress)

  METHODS
  This study will consist of ‘phase 1’ with further phases being completed in a separate study.

  Phase 1: 20 patients will participate in semi-structured interviews (before and after their operation). These will be used to generate items for the screening tool.

  Phases 2 & 3: A scoring system will be devised to permit classification of patients into one of 3 groups. The final phase involves validation of the tool in clinical practice. Approval is not sought for these phases.

  STUDY OUTCOME
  The desired outcome is obtaining data about patients' thoughts, feelings and experience of anaesthesia and awake surgery both pre and post operation. Data will be analysed to help develop the screening tool.
  

• REC name

  Wales REC 4

• REC reference

  14/WA/1268

• Date of REC Opinion

  22 Jan 2015

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion