Evaluation and comparison of the effect of same versus different anaesthetist on preoperative visits on preoperative anxiety and quality of recovery: A randomised controlled trial.

Background: Preoperative anxiety is one of the leading causes of morbidity in the perioperative period. Quality of Recovery (QoR)is a recent and valid questionnaire to assess recovery process in this time.

Methods: Ninety patients were visited by an anaesthetist twice in the preoperative period, by either the same or a different anaesthetist. The effect of the visits was evaluated on the basis of preoperative anxiety, and QoR.

Results: The mean APAIS (Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale) result for the group with visits from different anaesthetists was significantly higher when compared to the group which received visits from the same anaesthetist (16.09 [14.51 to 17.67]) vs (12.40 [10.82 to 13.98]) ( = 0.002). However, time taken to discharge, QoR, and the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) pain score were not significantly affected by the intervention.

Conclusion: Providing preoperative visits by the same anaesthetist may considerably lower preoperative anxiety.