Perioperative pharmacological management of pain and anxiety in pediatric surgical patients: a randomized controlled trial

Every year, millions of children in the US undergo outpatient surgery, and the great majority of them experience excruciating perioperative pain and anxiety. Behavioral preparation programs that focus on skill development and modeling, which are considered essential for optimal preparation, are no longer available to most children and families in the outpatient surgery setting. Additionally, what little preparation does occur is typically general rather than tailored to the unique characteristics of the child and family. Untreated anxiety and pain have a substantial impact on children's short- and long-term healing as well as their future interactions in the medical context. In order to fully evaluate the impact of distraction on preoperative anxiety, especially in pediatric patients, we conducted a randomised controlled experiment (RCT). This randomized controlled study (RCT) evaluates the safety and efficacy of pharmacological treatments for perioperative pain and anxiety in pediatric surgical patients. The study looks at how different drug regimens affect pain scores, anxiety levels, side effects, and recovery outcomes.