Efficacy of preanesthetic assessment combined with pain neuroscience education in reducing anxiety, stress, and pain in elective hysterectomy: A randomized controlled trial protocol

Medwave. 2025 Oct 13;25(9):e3092. doi: 10.5867/medwave.2025.09.3092.

Abstract

Introduction: Elective abdominal hysterectomy is often accompanied by high preoperative anxiety and stress, which can exacerbate postoperative pain.

Objectives: To determine whether the addition of pain neuroscience education to standard preanesthetic evaluation reduces preoperative anxiety and perceived stress and decreases postoperative pain among women undergoing elective total abdominal hysterectomy.

Methods: This single-center randomized controlled trial will enroll 62 adult female patients. Participants will be randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, to the intervention group-standard preanesthetic assessment and pain neuroscience education-or the control group-standard preanesthetic assessment alone. Primary outcomes (pain on the Visual Analog Scale [VAS], anxiety on the Beck Anxiety Inventory [BAI],, and total score on the Perceived Stress Scale [PSS]) will be assessed at three time points: preoperatively, 1 hour postoperatively, and 8 hours postoperatively. Secondary outcomes will include the Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) score and the requirement for rescue analgesia.

Expected results: We anticipate that integrating pain neuroscience education with standard preanesthetic evaluation will reduce anxiety and stress, decrease postoperative pain intensity, and improve overall recovery in women undergoing elective hysterectomy.

Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05435508.

Introducción: La histerectomía abdominal electiva suele acompañarse de elevada ansiedad y estrés preoperatorios, que pueden exacerbar el dolor postoperatorio.

Objetivos: Determinar si la adición de educación sobre neurociencias del dolor a la evaluación preanestésica estándar reduce la ansiedad preoperatoria, el estrés percibido, y el dolor postoperatorio entre las mujeres sometidas a histerectomía abdominal total electiva.

Métodos: Este ensayo controlado aleatorizado unicéntrico incluirá a 62 pacientes adultas. Las participantes serán asignadas aleatoriamente, en una proporción de 1:1, al grupo de intervención -evaluación preanestésica estándar y educación en neurociencias del dolor- o al grupo de control -evaluación preanestésica estándar sola-. Los resultados primarios (dolor en la Escala Visual Analógica [EVA], ansiedad en el Inventario de Ansiedad de Beck [BAI] y puntaje total en la Escala de Estrés Percibido [PSS]) se evaluarán en tres momentos: preoperatorio, 1 hora postoperatoria y 8 horas postoperatorias. Los resultados secundarios incluirán la puntuación de Calidad de la Recuperación-15 (QoR-15) y la necesidad de analgesia de rescate.

Resultados esperados: Prevemos que la integración de la educación en neurociencia del dolor con la evaluación preanestésica estándar reducirá la ansiedad y el estrés, disminuirá la intensidad del dolor postoperatorio y mejorará la recuperación general de las mujeres sometidas a histerectomía electiva.

Registro: ClinicalTrials.gov Identificador: NCT05435508.

Keywords: Anxiety; Hysterectomy; Pain Management; Pain Neuroscience Education; Psychological; Randomized Controlled Trial; Stress.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial Protocol

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anxiety* / etiology
  • Anxiety* / prevention & control
  • Elective Surgical Procedures / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hysterectomy* / methods
  • Hysterectomy* / psychology
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurosciences / education
  • Pain Measurement
  • Patient Education as Topic / methods
  • Postoperative Pain* / prevention & control
  • Preoperative Care / methods
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Stress, Psychological* / etiology
  • Stress, Psychological* / prevention & control
  • Time Factors

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT05435508