Early Oral Hydration in Relieving Postoperative Thirst

Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation200 enrolled

Overview

This study aims to evaluate whether allowing early oral hydration on demand effectively relieves postoperative thirst and enhances patient satisfaction in individuals undergoing urological endoscopic procedures

Postoperative thirst is a frequent but often overlooked discomfort experienced by patients after surgery, particularly following urological endoscopic procedures.Despite the common restriction on carly oral intake due to concerns about nausea and aspiration, delaying hydration prolongs patient suffering and reduces satisfaction during recovery. This study aims to investigate whether allowing carly, on-demand oral hydration in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) can effectively relieve postoperative thirst without increasing adverse effects, thereby potentially improving patient comfort and outcomes.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

200

Conditions

Thirst; Due to Deprivation of Water Patient Satisfaction

Interventions

Early oral hydrationDIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

"Early oral hydration" refers to the administration of small sips of water (maximum 10 mL initially) within 15-30 minutes of arrival in the PACU, once the patient is fully conscious, stable, and meets safety criteria. Initially, patients will be provided a maximum of 10 mL of water using a straw. After this initial intake, they will be allowed to drink water according to their demand, provided their condition remains stable. To minimize the risk of adverse events such as regurgitation and aspiration, the total amount of water intake will be restricted to 0.5 mL/kg.

No early oral hydration (As per Standard PACU Protocol)OTHER

Patients in the control group will follow the standard PACU protocol, which will delay oral hydration for 2-3 hours after the end of anesthesia. During this period, patients will be monitored closely for thirst and other postoperative symptoms.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 65 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Male and female patients aged 18-65 years. 2. Scheduled for elective urological endoscopic procedures under general anesthesia. 3. Day-care endoscopic procedures. 4. ASA classification I-III. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Known gastrointestinal disorders contraindicating early oral hydration (e.g., peptic ulcer disease, hiatal hernia, irritable bowel syndrome, esophagitis, or prior gastrointestinal surgery). 2. Inability to express thirst or communicate (e.g., language barrier, altered consciousness). 3. Requirement for nasogastric suction. 4. History of facial, oropharyngeal, or laryngeal surgery. 5. Swallowing dysfunction or delayed gastric emptying (e.g., gastroparesis). 6. Incomplete reversal of muscle relaxant at PACU admission (no adequate spontaneous breathing or protective airway reflexes).

Locations (1)

Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation

Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan

RECRUITING

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Thirst intensity upon PACU arrival

Patients will be asked Did you experience thirst upon arrival in the PACU? * Yes * No If yes, rate your thirst intensity upon PACU arrival using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) on PACU entry. 0 = No thirst, 10 = Worst imaginable thirst \[0---1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9---10\]