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Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

NCT number NCT00609960
Other study ID # SHEBA-05-3739-IK-CTIL
Secondary ID
Status Completed
Phase N/A
First received January 24, 2008
Last updated February 6, 2008
Start date January 2006
Est. completion date January 2007

Study information

Verified date January 2008
Source Sheba Medical Center
Contact n/a
Is FDA regulated No
Health authority Israel: Israeli Health Ministry Pharmaceutical Administration
Study type Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

This study wants to test the hypothesis that trained clowns can reduce anxiety in children undergoing general anesthesia. We will compare the effect of the clowns to the commonly used anti-anxiety medication we commonly use


Description:

The perioperative environment, often anxiety-provoking for adults, may be quite frightening for children. The detrimental effects of preoperative anxiety are not confined to the preoperative period. Anxiety during induction of anesthesia is correlated with increased distress early in the postoperative period, (Holms Knud, Kain) and maladaptive behavior will follow for the first 2 weeks following surgery in up to 54% of children.

Many preoperative systems allow parental, pharmacologic, and anticipatory interventions to facilitate a relaxed perioperative environment for children. Unfortunately, scheduling conflicts, side effects, and limited resources conspire to limit their usefulness. For example, only 10% of respondents in a recent survey used parental presence during induction of anesthesia (PPIA) for a majority of their patients. This may be due to the belief by some that parental anxiety may in fact increase children's anxiety. (Bevans) According to the same survey, only 50% of children undergoing surgery receive sedating premedication. (Kain). Distraction techniques, such as the use of toys or video games, may also decrease perioperative anxiety, however their effectiveness during induction of anesthesia is not well characterized. The efficacy of toys and video games is somewhat dependent upon the child reaching certain developmental milestones. Anesthesiologists continue to search for an easy and comprehensive method for anxiety reduction in the pediatric surgical population. We propose that specially trained professional clowns may allay preoperative anxiety and result in a smooth anesthetic induction.


Recruitment information / eligibility

Status Completed
Enrollment 65
Est. completion date January 2007
Est. primary completion date January 2007
Accepts healthy volunteers No
Gender Both
Age group 2 Years to 8 Years
Eligibility Inclusion Criteria:

- ASA I and II

- Children aged 2-8 years

Exclusion Criteria:

- Previous surgery

- ASA > II

- Parents' refusal

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Caregiver), Primary Purpose: Supportive Care


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


Intervention

Behavioral:
clowns present
clowns present during the proccess of induction of anesthesia
Drug:
midazolam
midazolam

Locations

Country Name City State
Israel Sheba Medical Center Tel Hashomer Ramat Gan

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor Collaborator
Sheba Medical Center

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Israel, 

Outcome

Type Measure Description Time frame Safety issue
Primary anxiety level waiting area and enterance to OR -1 hour No