NCT00932685

Does Distraction With a Hand Held Video Game Reduce Preoperative and Emergence Anxiety in Children?

Is Preoperative Distraction With a Hand Held Video Game Boy as Effective as Midazolam in Reducing Preoperative Anxiety Levels in Children as Weel as Emergence Agitation?

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 119 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 4 Years – 12 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Preoperative anxiety is characterized by subjective feelings of tension, apprehension, nervousness and worry. In children, preoperative anxiety is reported to result in postoperative negative psychological effects, including nightmares, eating problems and increased fear of doctors. Previous studies have assessed anxiety in children during the preoperative period and the effects of premedication and parental presence. Midazolzam has been shown to reduce preoperative anxiety in children but post operative recovery maybe delayed for children undergoing a short operative procedure. Distraction may be particularly helpful in children ages 6-12 as these children are curious about their environment. An association between preoperative anxiety and emergence agitation has been suggested. Emergence agitation in children is not well understood but is a frightening experience for child and parent. A previous study demonstrated the efficacy of hand held video games used as an interactive distraction to allay preoperative anxiety. The purpose of this study is to treat preop anxiety with premedication, or video game and to evaluate the impact of these interventions on the incidence and severity of emergence agitation.

Conditions

• Pediatric Emergence Agitation and Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Midazolam	Midazolam 0.5mg/kg
DEVICE	Game Boy	Children given video game as a distraction in preop holding and were permitted to continue playing the game in OR during induction

Timeline

• Start date: 2005-12-01
• Primary completion: 2007-06-01
• Completion: 2007-07-01
• First posted: 2009-07-03
• Last updated: 2009-07-03

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States