The family-centered preoperative ADVANCE preparation program is effective in the reduction of preoperative anxiety and improvement in postoperative outcomes.

No abstract

Under the conditions of this study, oral midazolam is more effective than either parental presence or no intervention for managing a child's and parent's anxiety during the preoperative period.

Acupuncture has been used in China and other Asian countries for the past 3000 yr. Recently, this technique has been gaining increased popularity among physicians and patients in the United States. Even though acupuncture-induced analgesia is being used in many pain management programs in the United States, the mechanism of action remains unclear. Studies suggest that acupuncture and related techniques trigger a sequence of events that include the release of neurotransmitters, endogenous opioid-like substances, and activation of c-fos within the central nervous system. Recent developments in central nervous system imaging techniques allow scientists to better evaluate the chain of events that occur after acupuncture-induced stimulation. In this review article we examine current biophysiological and imaging studies that explore the mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia.

No abstract

Ear acupuncture can decrease preoperative anxiety in adults undergoing outpatient surgery.

Through the enhanced photothermal effect, which was achieved using a silver film, a low power weakly focused continuous-wave laser (532 nm) was applied to create a vapor bubble. A convective flow was formed around the bubble. Microparticles dispersed in water were carried by the convective flow to the vapor bubble and accumulated on the silver film. By moving the laser spot, we easily manipulated the location of the bubble, allowing us to direct-write micropatterns on the silver film with accumulated particles. The reported simple controllable accumulation method can be applied to bimolecular detection, medical diagnosis, and other related biochip techniques.

Patients who listen to music of their choice during the preoperative period report less anxiety.