Effectiveness of the AIDET Communication Model in Reducing Perioperative Anxiety and Emergence Delirium in Children Undergoing Laparoscopic Hernia Repair: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The objective of this study was to evaluate the AIDET model's effectiveness versus standard care in minimizing preoperative anxiety and postoperative emergence delirium severity in pediatric patients undergoing laparoscopic hernia sac ligation, and to investigate the model's influence on perioperative hemodynamic stability and assess intraoperative safety. The method applied in this study was a single-center, single-blind RCT with a parallel-group design, which included 96 pediatric patients (3-12 years) undergoing laparoscopic hernia sac high ligation. Participants were randomized 1:1 to the AIDET communication model or standard care control. The primary outcome was the m-YPAS score at operating room entry. Secondary outcomes comprised the PAED score, hemodynamic measures (HR, MAP), and PACU stay duration. Analysis used ITT methodology. The results showed that the intervention group had significantly lower m-YPAS scores at OR entrance vs. control (56.34±14.71 vs. 63.85±17.10, t=-2.305, P=0.023, d=0.471), indicating reduced preoperative anxiety. PAED scores were also significantly lower in the intervention group (7.79±1.61 vs. 8.42±1.40, t=-2.031, P=0.045, d=0.415), implying alleviated postoperative delirium. Hemodynamically, the intervention group showed significantly lower HR and MAP at T1 and T3 vs. control (P<0.05), supporting perioperative stability. PACU stay length did not differ significantly (P=0.945). Age-stratified analysis indicated a larger effect size in the 3-6 years cohort (d=0.52) vs. 7-12 years (d=0.43), but the interaction effect was not significant (P=0.087). This study concludes that the structured AIDET communication model is a safe, effective non-pharmacological intervention that significantly reduces preoperative anxiety, mitigates postoperative emergence delirium, and maintains perioperative hemodynamic stability in children undergoing laparoscopic hernia sac high ligation. Easily implemented and cost-effective, it deserves broad adoption in pediatric perioperative care.