Pre-operative Anxiety in Pediatric Surgery Patients: Multiple Case Study Analysis with Literature Review

Pre-operative anxiety affects millions of pediatric surgery patients each year and can have both short and long-term adverse effects in the post-operative period. As a result, it is particularly important for healthcare providers and others involved in the child’s care, such as the parents, to be aware of interventions that can be used to reduce the onset of pre-operative anxiety and, thus, the likelihood of negative post-operative changes. The purpose of this paper is to familiarize the reader with the issue of pre-operative anxiety through a review of the literature and analysis of case studies. First, the paper looks at the causes of pre-operative anxiety and its effect on the development of maladaptive behavioral, emotional, and physiological changes. It then discusses the ways pre-operative anxiety can be measured and current methods for reducing the post-operative adverse outcomes associated with it. After doing so, it proposes the need for additional research and the use of precision medicine by physicians.