This is a study looking at patient's satisfaction with incision site and location after undergoing minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. (Laparoscopy) The study group will have the anticipated incision marked with a washable marker on their abdomen. The control group will have preoperative counselling as usual. After surgery, will assess patient's satisfaction with the incision scar.
This study is a prospective, randomized controlled trial examining the impact of marking the patient abdomen at the time of the preoperative visit on patient's satisfaction with scar appearance and symptoms, and pain at the incision site after undergoing minimally invasive gynecologic surgery for benign conditions. We hypothesize that preoperative marking and instruction about incision expectations will improve patient's postoperative satisfaction with scar appearance and symptoms as well as decrease incision site pain compared to traditional preoperative counseling. Patients that will undergo laparoscopic surgical intervention will be identified. The patient will be randomized into two groups: preoperative marking the abdomen versus conventional preoperative counseling. If the patient is randomized to the marking the abdomen group (study group) she will then have the anticipated incision needed to place the trocars during her surgery marked on her abdomen by the surgeon attending physician involved in the patient care during the preoperative counseling visit. If she is randomized to the control group, then she will undergo traditional preoperative counseling by the same team without marking the abdomen. After completed the surgery, information regarding type of surgery, reason for the procedure, estimated blood loss, surgical length, complications, location and size of abdominal incisions made on the patient's abdomen will be collected. Then at the 6 weeks post op visit, patient's satisfaction with the incision scar will be evaluated with a validated patient scar assessment questionnaire form and by one 5 point Likert scale question used in previous studies. The pain at rest at the incision site will be evaluated by a Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS). Patients will also be asked to evaluate their generalized pain using a modified McGill Present Pain Intensity Scale.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
4
If the patient is randomized to the marking the abdomen group (study group) she will then have the anticipated incision needed to place the trocars during her surgery marked on her abdomen by the surgeon attending physician involved in the patient care during the preoperative counseling visit.
Florida Hospital
Orlando, Florida, United States
Patient's expectation and satisfaction with incision scar will be evaluated with the patient scar assessment questionnaire and a 5 points Likert type scale question.
Time frame: 6 weeks
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