Purpose
This study aimed to identify the mediating effect of postoperative pain in the relationship between preoperative anxiety and Postoperative Nausea/Vomiting (PONV) in patients undergoing laparoscopic abdominal surgery.
Methods
The participants were 85 patients who were receiving laparoscopic abdominal surgery and undergoing general anesthesia at a university hospital. Data were collected from September 30 to December 13, 2019 using self-report questionnaires and clinical electronic medical records. The collected data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and a three-step mediated regression analysis using SPSS/WIN 23.0.
Results
Significant positive correlations were observed between preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain (average score 24 hours after discharge from the recovery room) (r=.38, p<.001), preoperative anxiety and PONV (r=.45, p<.001), and postoperative pain (average score 24 hours after discharge from the recovery room) and PONV (r=.51, p<.001). Postoperative pain had a partial mediating effect (Z=2.28, p=.023) in the relationship between preoperative anxiety and PONV.
Conclusion
To reduce PONV experienced by patients who have undergone laparoscopic abdominal surgery, developing interventions and techniques to manage preoperative anxiety and alleviate postoperative pain is important.

Citations

• Effect of Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture Point Stimulation on Preventing Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting in Female Patients Undergoing Orthopedic Surgery
  Zhenzhen Zhang, Qingge Liu, Rui Chen, Yamin Tian, Chaoping Wang, Di Zhang, Songmei Wu
  Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing.2025; 40(3): 634.     CrossRef
• Preoperative Anxiety and Its Postoperative Associated Factors in Patients Receiving Post Anesthetic Recovery Care at Surgical Intensive Care Unit
  Yul Ha Lee, Hye-Ja Park
  Journal of Health Informatics and Statistics.2023; 48(3): 267.     CrossRef