Objective: This study seeks to evaluate the level of anxiety, recall, and comprehension of the provided information in patients undergoing esophageal and gastrointestinal surgery.
Methods: Sixty-one patients without cognitive disorders entered a prospective study designed to assess the effect of a surgical informed consent process. The written informed consent was administered to all patients and was supported by a verbal explanation and a schematic drawing of the operation. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory test was used to assess state anxiety and tract anxiety. The test was repeated after the informed consent process. A disease-specific feedback questionnaire was subsequently administered to assess the actual comprehension of the provided information.
Results: A significant decrease of the state anxiety scores was documented in most patients (p < 0.001). This effect was more evident in the elderly (p = 0.021) and in those who used Internet as a previous source of information (p = 0.032). The mean correct exact answer rate on the disease-specific questionnaire was 76% (IQ range 66.7-85%). No statistically significant relationship was found between the rate of correct answers and the state anxiety scores.
Conclusions: An exhaustive surgical informed consent process was effective in providing comprehension and decreasing anxiety in patients who are candidates to minimally invasive esophageal and gastrointestinal surgical procedures.