The secret to a successful operation? It’s all in the patient's smile



Mood is a factor in a successful surgery



YOUR mood could make surgery plain sailing or send it awry, according to a new study.

 

High levels of anxiety, distress, fear or hostility before undergoing a medical procedure can lead to problems during the operation, new research has found.

Researchers analysed the results of 230 patients, with the average age of 55. 

The participants all underwent image-guided radiology procedures, where a catheter was inserted in to a blood vessel.

 

Surgery patients had to rate positive and negative feelings out of five

Before the procedure took place, patients filled out a Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) rating their various feelings.

Participants were asked to rate positive and negative feelings out of five, including: nervousness, distress, irritability. 

Researchers then grouped the patients in terms of their disposition.

 



Patients with more negative feelings experience more minor problems during the operation



The team discovered that those who displayed a greater degree of negativity before the procedure experienced more adversity during the operation. 

This included high or low blood pressure, a prolonged lack of oxygen, post-operative bleeding or an abnormally slow heart rate.

Out of 104 patients with high negative thoughts, almost a quarter experienced an adverse event, compared with 12 per cent of the more positive patients.

Interventional Radiologist Dr Elvira Lang said: “Our study shows that mood matters.”

 

"You don't need to have a chipper, cheery attitude prior to your procedure. You just have to overcome negative emotions and get to a neutral level.

"The procedure room is a two-way street in which the patient can affect the healthcare professional and vice versa. Any time the team must manage an adverse event, it takes attention away from the procedure."

The researchers suggest that this demonstrates the need for further exploration in to the patient-doctor relationship and coping strategies for anxious or uneasy patients. 

Researchers say more care should be taken when putting patients at ease