RecruitingNot Applicable

Stress Reduction Using Video Googles on Patients Undergoing Vascular Surgery

Germany100 participantsStarted 2022-09-09

Plain-language summary

One treatment option of internal carotid artery stenosis is open surgical endarterectomy. The operation is frequently carried out under regional plexus anesthesia, allowing the patient to remain awake during the procedure. This approach offers the advantage of monitoring for neurological changes during carotid artery clamping, allowing the surgical team to immediately respond by placing a shunt to ensure cerebral perfusion. As a result, performing surgery under regional anesthesia provides therefor a benefit. However, for patients, the procedure, which can last up to two hours or longer in some cases, may pose a significant burden. The fixed position, inability to move, sterile drapes over the face, manipulation by the surgical team, and anxiety about potential complications are just a few of the factors that may distress patients during the operation. Increased sweating and reports of substantial subjective distress are not uncommon if the procedure is performed under local anesthesia. In many medical fields, devices and therapies are now being utilized to reduce patient stress in the perioperative setting. In procedures performed under local or regional anesthesia, such as in orthopedics or dentistry, efforts are being made to make operations more tolerable and less stressful for patients. For example, music and video goggles are employed to entertain and distract patients during the intervention. Newer approaches using video googles appear in more and more fields to reduce distress. Especially in vascular surgery and particularly in carotid surgery, the use of audiovisual distraction during the procedure has not been implemented to our knowledge, and its benefits remain undocumented. Because of the special setting and burden for the patients it is highly necessary to test these devices in carotid surgery and explore potential benefits for these patients.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Planed carotid endarterectomy in local anesthesia Exclusion Criteria: * patients which are not able to communicate because of stroke or language barrier, * Dementia or neurological damage which impairs answering questionnaires or the understanding of the situation during surgery * medication with steroids

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Bloodserum cortisol levels

Timeframe: Cortisol levels are measured six times the day the procedure is performed. Starting at 6:30am, Arraiving at the OR, dermal incision, clamping the carotid artery, dermal suture, one hour after leaving the OR

Heartrate

Timeframe: The heartrate is measured six times the day the procedure is performed. Starting at 6:30am, arraiving at the OR, dermal incision, clamping the carotid artery, dermal suture, one hour after leaving the OR

short questionnaire on current stress

Timeframe: The questionnaire is asked six times the day the procedure is performed. Starting at 6:30am, arraiving at the OR, dermal incision, clamping the carotid artery, dermal suture, one hour after leaving the OR

Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS)

Timeframe: RASS is measured six times the day the procedure is performed.Starting at 6:30am, arraiving at the OR, dermal incision, clamping the carotid artery, dermal suture, one hour after leaving the OR

Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)

Timeframe: One Day. Day before surgery

Satisfaction (patient, surgeon, anesthesia)

Trial details

NCT IDNCT06704230

SponsorUniversity Hospital Augsburg

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2025-03

Contact for this trial

Hagen Kerndl

+49 821 400 2655 hagen.kerndl@uk-augsburg.de

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Carotid Artery Diseases trials