Clinical Research Directory

Effect of Visual Aids Added to Informed Consent on Patient Understanding and Anesthesia Awareness

This prospective cluster-randomized controlled study aims to evaluate whether visual support material provided in addition to the standard written informed consent form improves patients' comprehension of informed consent and their level of anesthesia awareness in an anesthesia outpatient clinic setting. Patients presenting to the anesthesia outpatient clinic will be allocated in clusters to receive either standard written informed consent alone or standard consent supplemented with structured visual support material. All patients will receive standardized verbal information delivered by the same anesthesiologist. Thirty minutes after the information session, comprehension of informed consent and anesthesia awareness levels will be assessed using a structured questionnaire administered in a standardized manner by a blinded anesthesiologist. The primary objective is to determine whether visual support enhances patient understanding of informed consent. Secondary objectives include evaluating its effect on anesthesia-related risk awareness and overall anesthesia knowledge.

Effects of Preoperative Education on Anxiety and Emergence Agitation

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of structured preoperative education focused on the anesthesia emergence process on preoperative anxiety and postoperative emergence agitation in adult surgical patients undergoing general anesthesia. Emergence agitation is a frequent postoperative complication associated with patient discomfort, safety risks, and increased clinical workload. Preoperative anxiety is considered a modifiable risk factor for emergence agitation; however, evidence-based educational interventions targeting the emergence phase are limited. The intervention consists of a standardized, nurse-led preoperative education program providing information on general anesthesia, endotracheal intubation and extubation, the post-anesthesia care unit environment, and expected physical and emotional responses during emergence. Education is delivered through a face-to-face individual session supported by written materials. Patients in the control group receive routine perioperative verbal information in accordance with standard care. Eligible adult patients scheduled for elective general surgery under general anesthesia will be randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. Preoperative anxiety will be assessed using the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS). Emergence agitation will be evaluated in the post-anesthesia care unit using the Riker Sedation-Agitation Scale (SAS) and the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) during the first 30 minutes after surgery. The primary outcomes are preoperative anxiety levels and the incidence of postoperative emergence agitation. Secondary outcomes include postoperative pain, extubation time and quality, and length of stay in the post-anesthesia care unit. This study seeks to determine whether emergence-focused preoperative education can improve perioperative psychological outcomes and enhance patient safety in surgical care.

Prehab for Surgery

Surgical prehabilitation is the process of enhancing one's physical function and mental capacity to enable him/or her to withstand the stressor of surgery. Prehabilitation can be achieved via optimizing physical fitness, nutrition, and psychological health. Studies have shown that prehabilitation may prevent complications during and after surgery, reduce hospital length of stay, and improve postoperative recovery. Despite the growing interest in the field of prehabilitation, little is understood about how to implement prehabilitation an integrated clinical service. This study will examine the effect of a prehabilitation program that includes exercise, psychological, and nutritional optimization that emulates clinical integration pathways. Participants of this study will have a choice of participating in facility-based prehabilitation (FBP) or home-based prehabilitation (HBP) depending on their needs/accessibility to the Toronto General Hospital. Participant outcomes will be measured using standardized fitness testing, self-report questionnaires, and medical record reviews at baseline, one week preoperatively, and at 30 and 90 days postoperatively. A comprehensive assessment of feasibility will also be conducted to better understand facilitators and barriers to clinical integration.