title: Caring for the surgically anxious patient: a review of the interventions and a guide to optimizing surgical outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Preoperative surgical anxiety is an unpleasant and common reaction exhibited by patients who are scheduled for surgical procedures. Beyond emotional effects on the patient, it can also have negative repercussions on the surgery including longer hospital stays and poorer outcomes. Given the widespread impacts of preoperative anxiety, it is critical for surgeons to gain a better understanding of how to identify and reduce surgical anxiety in their patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used the PubMed database to review the current literature to evaluate screening tools and interventions for surgically anxious patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychiatric anxiety surveys are currently the most appropriate form of assessment for surgical anxiety. Patient education is important for preventing and reducing anxiety levels in patients. Both nonpharmacological and pharmacological interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing patient anxiety and treatment should be based on patient preference, resources available, and the surgeon's experience.
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Department of Surgery, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Craig J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Department of Surgery, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Mitchelson
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Department of Surgery, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Tony H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Tzeng
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Department of Surgery, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Mouhanad M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: El-Othmani
authors.affiliation: National Institute on Deafness and other Communicable Disorders, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Jasmine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Department of Surgery, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vasdev
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Hillary J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: LaMontagne
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Department of Surgery, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA. Electronic address: mohannad.othmani@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Khaled J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Saleh
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D057234:Preoperative Period; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs
keywords: Patient education; Perioperative anxiety; Preoperative anxiety; Preoperative anxiolytics; Psychiatric anxiety survey; Surgical anxiety intervention