Influence of preoperative emotional state on postoperative pain following orthopedic and trauma surgery

The Clinical Outcomes and Their Associated Factors in Staged Bilateral Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair

PURPOSE

To compare perioperative characteristics and postoperative outcomes of both shoulders in patients who underwent arthroscopic bilateral rotator cuff repair sequentially and to assess the associated factors that would affect the anatomic healing in staged bilateral rotator cuff repair.

METHODS

The study enrolled 64 patients who underwent bilateral rotator cuff repair with follow-up imaging at least 12 months postoperatively. We allocated the shoulders operated on first to the surgery I group and those operated on second to the surgery II group. Visual analog scale (VAS) pain and satisfaction scores, range of motion, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, the Simple Shoulder Test score, and healing failure were evaluated.

RESULTS

Range of motion improved with no significant between-group differences (all P > .05). In the surgery II group, VAS pain and VAS satisfaction scores were significantly worse at 6 months postoperatively (P = .048 and P = .041, respectively) but were comparable at final follow-up (P = .598 and P = .065, respectively). American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and Simple Shoulder Test scores at 6 months were worse in the surgery II group (P = .038 and P = .048, respectively) but similar at final follow-up (P = .786 and P = .087, respectively). Tear size was similar between the 2 surgical procedures (κ = 0.537, P < .001). Of the 11 patients with nonhealing in the surgery I group, 7 (63.6%) had subsequent failure in the other shoulder, and if one shoulder had healing failure, the other shoulder had a high possibility of healing failure as well (κ = 0.373, P = .004).

CONCLUSIONS

Bilateral arthroscopic rotator cuff repair showed good outcomes at final follow-up on both sides. Tear size was closely related in both shoulders, and healing failure after the first rotator cuff repair was an associated factor with healing failure after the second operation.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, case series.

Meta-analysis evaluating music interventions for anxiety and pain in surgery

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate anxiety and pain following perioperative music interventions compared with control conditions in adult patients.

METHODS

Eleven electronic databases were searched for full-text publications of RCTs investigating the effect of music interventions on anxiety and pain during invasive surgery published between 1 January 1980 and 20 October 2016. Results and data were double-screened and extracted independently. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to calculate effect sizes as standardized mean differences (MDs). Heterogeneity was investigated in subgroup analyses and metaregression analyses. The review was registered in the PROSPERO database as CRD42016024921.

RESULTS

Ninety-two RCTs (7385 patients) were included in the systematic review, of which 81 were included in the meta-analysis. Music interventions significantly decreased anxiety (MD -0·69, 95 per cent c.i. -0·88 to -0·50; P < 0·001) and pain (MD -0·50, -0·66 to -0·34; P < 0·001) compared with controls, equivalent to a decrease of 21 mm for anxiety and 10 mm for pain on a 100-mm visual analogue scale. Changes in outcome corrected for baseline were even larger: MD -1·41 (-1·89 to -0·94; P < 0·001) for anxiety and -0·54 (-0·93 to -0·15; P = 0·006) for pain. Music interventions provided during general anaesthesia significantly decreased pain compared with that in controls (MD -0·41, -0·64 to -0·18; P < 0·001). Metaregression analysis found no significant association between the effect of music interventions and age, sex, choice and timing of music, and type of anaesthesia. Risk of bias in the studies was moderate to high.

CONCLUSION

Music interventions significantly reduce anxiety and pain in adult surgical patients.

Hospital consumer assessment of healthcare providers and systems scores relating to pain following the incorporation of clinical pharmacists into patient education prior to joint replacement surgery

Background:

Pharmacist involvement has been shown to improve various aspects of patient care. Patients undergoing knee and hip replacement surgery generally experience post-operative pain and discomfort. Pain control can impact patient satisfaction, as reported by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey.

Objective:

The current pilot study aims to measure the potential impact that incorporating pharmacists into preoperative patient education programs has on the response to select HCAHPS questions.

Methods:

Patient responses to two select HCAHPS questions related to pain were recorded for a year prior to pharmacist involvement in a comprehensive preoperative patient education program (2012) and a year after pharmacists became actively involved (2013).

Results:

In all reporting surgical patients, there was a modest 3.68% improvement in mean scores reflecting patient’s feelings that hospital staff did “everything they could” to attend to their pain (mean₂₀₁₂=3.66, SD=0.63 versus mean₂₀₁₃=3.80, SD=0.43, p=0.018, Mann-Whitney U test). There was a non-significant 2.98% improvement in scores reflecting the level that pain was “well controlled” (mean₂₀₁₂=3.54, SD=0.651 versus mean₂₀₁₃=3.65, SD=0.554, p=0.069, Mann-Whitney U test) in surgical patients.

Conclusion:

The results suggest comprehensive pharmacist involvement in patient education prior to joint replacement surgery may impact HCAHPS scores related to pain control. While the observed potential improvements were modest, the current results justify larger, multi-institution prospective studies to better elucidate the impact pharmacists can have on pain management in patients undergoing joint replacement.

Influence of anxiety and depression symptoms on the quality of life in patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery

Objective

Comparative analysis of the quality of life and functionality of patients undergoing lumbar spine arthrodesis due to degenerative lumbar spine disease. The authors sought to correlate the influence of anxious and depressive symptoms before and after surgery.

Methods

A prospective cohort study was performed, with 32 patients submitted to arthrodesis due to degenerative lumbar spine disease and the visual analogue pain scale pain questionnaire, the Oswestry Disability Index questionnaire, the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form questionnaire – 36 items (SF-36), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, applied in the preoperative period and four months after the procedure.

Results

There was improvement in the mean scores of the visual analogue pain scale (p < 0.001) and the Oswestry Disability Index (p < 0.001). In the preoperative period, the variables that presented a difference between patients with and without anxiety symptoms were the SF-36 domains of general health (p = 0.031), social aspects (p = 0.008), and mental health (p = 0.035). In the postoperative period, patients without anxiety symptoms showed better results in the vitality (p = 0.004), social aspects (p = 0.001), mental health (p < 0.001), and pain (p = 0.011) domains. In the preoperative period, the variable that presented a difference between patients with and without depression was the SF-36 domain of emotional aspects (p = 0.022). In the post-operative period, patients without depression presented better vitality (p < 0.001), social aspects (p < 0.001), emotional aspects (p = 0.004), and mental health results (p = 0.001).

Conclusion

Lumbar spine arthrodesis was effective in improving pain, low back pain, functional capacity, limitation due to physical aspects, vitality, and social and emotional aspects. Patients without anxiety and depression symptoms had better results on the scales compared to those with such symptoms.

Validation of the Spanish version of the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS)

BACKGROUND

Preoperative anxiety is a frequent and challenging problem with deleterious effects on the development of surgical procedures and postoperative outcomes. To prevent and treat preoperative anxiety effectively, the level of anxiety of patients needs to be assessed through valid and reliable measuring instruments. One such measurement tool is the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS), of which a Spanish version has not been validated yet.

OBJECTIVE

To perform a Spanish cultural adaptation and empirical validation of the APAIS for assessing preoperative anxiety in the Spanish population.

METHODS

A two-step forward/back translation of the APAIS scale was performed to ensure a reliable Spanish cultural adaptation. The final Spanish version of the APAIS questionnaire was administered to 529 patients between the ages of 18 to 70 undergoing elective surgery at hospitals of the Agencia Sanitaria Costa del Sol (Spain). Cronbach's alpha, homogeneity index, intra-class correlation coefficient, and confirmatory factor analysis were calculated to assess internal consistency and criteria and construct validity.

RESULTS

Confirmatory factor analysis showed that a one-factor model was better fitted than a two-factor model, with good fitting patterns (root mean square error of approximation: 0.05, normed-fit index: 0.99, goodness-of-fit statistic: 0.99). The questionnaire showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.84) and a good correlation with the Goldberg Anxiety Scale (CCI: 0.62 (95% CI: 0.55 to 0.68).

CONCLUSIONS

The Spanish version of the APAIS is a valid and reliable preoperative anxiety measurement tool and shows psychometric properties similar to those obtained by similar previous studies.

Can Preoperative Psychological Assessment Predict Outcomes After Temporomandibular Joint Arthroscopy?

PURPOSE

Psychological assessment has been used successfully to predict patient outcomes after cardiothoracic and bariatric surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine whether preoperative psychological assessment could be used to predict patient outcomes after temporomandibular joint arthroscopy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Consecutive patients with temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) who could benefit from arthroscopy were enrolled in a prospective cohort study. All patients completed the Millon Behavior Medicine Diagnostic survey before surgery. The primary predictor variable was the preoperative psychological scores. The primary outcome variable was the difference in pain between the pre- and postoperative periods. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient and the Pearson product-moment correlation were used to determine the association between psychological factors and change in pain. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed using a mixed-effects linear model and multiple linear regression. A P value of .05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

Eighty-six patients were enrolled in the study. Seventy-five patients completed the study and were included in the final analyses. The mean change in visual analog scale (VAS) pain score 1 month after arthroscopy was -15.4 points (95% confidence interval, -6.0 to -24.7; P < .001). Jaw function also improved after surgery (P < .001). No association between change in VAS pain score and each of the 5 preoperative psychological factors was identified with univariable correlation analyses. Multivariable analyses identified that a greater pain decrease was associated with a longer duration of preoperative symptoms (P = .054) and lower chronic anxiety (P = .064).

CONCLUSIONS

This study has identified a weak association between chronic anxiety and the magnitude of pain decrease after arthroscopy for TMD. Further studies are needed to clarify the role of chronic anxiety in the outcome after surgical procedures for the treatment of TMD.

Solutions for reducing lawsuits in orthopedic surgery by using psychology and IT technology

Orthopedic surgery is among the top 5 medical specialties with an increased risk of facing a lawsuit. A large part of medical malpractice claims are due to poor communication between physician and patient; therefore, by addressing this issue and implementing psychological methods as well as IT solutions, a reduction in the incidence of medical lawsuits can be achieved. Some of these solutions include implementing and applying psychometric tools such as the SF-36 and SCL-90R tests, creating virtual information hubs for the patient, and establishing efficient communication methods by using IT technology between physician and patient.