title: Assessment of the effects of a taped cognitive behavior message on postoperative complications (therapeutic suggestions under anesthesia).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The authors studied whether playing a taped cognitive-behavior message during and immediately following bariatric surgery will improve performance of a postoperative regimen designed to enhance recovery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The double-blinded placebo-controlled study consisted of 27 morbidly obese bariatric surgical patients randomly assigned to listen to either a blank (Controls) or a positive therapeutic message audiotape (Tape). A Postoperative Regimen Checklist (PRC) quantified different parts of the postoperative recovery regimen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data showed that patients in the Tape group, compared to the Controls: 1) achieved better scores at most PRC assessment points (p < 0.05), 2) required less encouragement to perform tasks (p < 0.05), and 3) were discharged from the hospital a mean of 1.6 days earlier.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A taped cognitive-behavioral message, played to patients repetitively during and immediately following bariatric surgery, is effective in enhancing postoperative compliance and reducing in-patient length of stay.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA. owcinc@mindspring.com
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Buffington
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hathaway
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000758:Anesthesia; D003371:Cough; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period / Q000523:psychology; D007902:Length of Stay; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D012119:Respiration; D013404:Suggestion; D013637:Tape Recording