Skip to content

Oropharyngeal Humidification After Extubation on Thirst

The Effect of Oropharyngeal Humidification After Extubation on Thirst, Pain, and Anxiety in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Study

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07397221
Enrollment
42
Registered
2026-02-09
Start date
2026-02-01
Completion date
2026-08-01
Last updated
2026-02-11

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Coronary Artery Bypass

Keywords

Oropharyngeal Humidification, Thirst, Pain, Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Brief summary

In patients who have undergone endotracheal intubation following cardiac surgery, symptoms such as thirst, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), restlessness, nausea, and vomiting are frequently observed, and these conditions negatively affect the patients' overall comfort. Especially in the post-intubation period, dryness in the mouth and throat, an intense feeling of thirst, and difficulty swallowing can lead to feelings of suffocation, helplessness, fear, and anxiety in patients. Effective management of these symptoms is critically important both for accelerating the recovery process and for increasing patient satisfaction. Traditionally, methods such as moistening the mouth with a cotton swab have been used to relieve complaints like thirst and dry mouth. However, these practices are often insufficient and have limited effectiveness in increasing patients' comfort. In recent years, the use of oropharyngeal sprays has emerged as an innovative and effective approach to alleviate symptoms such as thirst and dry mouth. In a randomized controlled trial conduct, it was shown that a spray-based oropharyngeal moisturizing program significantly reduced the severity of thirst and discomfort in patients who underwent intubation after cardiac surgery. Thirst and discomfort scores were found to be significantly lower in the spray-applied groups compared to the control group, and no significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of dysphagia frequency or adverse events. Similarly, studies conducted in different surgical and intensive care populations have shown that applications of cold water or cold saline sprays significantly reduce complaints of thirst and dry mouth, increase patient comfort, and are safe to use. Additionally, it has been reported that alternative approaches such as menthol lozenges or aromatherapy also have positive effects on thirst, nausea, and comfort after cardiac surgery. Examining the effects of oropharyngeal sprays and similar practices on parameters such as thirst, dysphagia, discomfort, nausea, vomiting, and overall comfort in patients who are intubated after cardiac surgery may contribute to the development of innovative and effective approaches in patient care. Integrating such practices into postoperative care protocols carries significant potential for increasing patient comfort and supporting the recovery process. This randomized controlled study aims to investigate the effects of oropharyngeal humidification after extubation on thirst, pain, and anxiety in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Interventions

OTHEROropharyngeal Humidification with Water Spray

Room-temperature drinking water is administered as an oral spray to multiple areas of the oral cavity (upper jaw, lower jaw, left and right cheek, and tongue). The researcher applies the spray twice per hour for 4 hours after extubation in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Sponsors

Muş Alparslan University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Age 18-65 * Undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery * Postoperative mechanical ventilation and extubation * Able to provide informed consent

Exclusion criteria

* Neuromuscular diseases (e.g., stroke, Parkinson's disease) * Head/neck deformities * Pre-existing dysphagia * Tracheostomy * Inability to participate in assessments

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Thirst SeverityBaseline (immediately after extubation) 2 hours post-intervention 4 hours post-interventionThe Numeric Rating Scale is used for patients to indicate the severity of their thirst. Patients will be asked to rate their feeling of thirst on a scale from 0 to 10. A score of 0 means no thirst at all. An increase in the score indicates increasing thirst. A score of 10 represents extreme thirst.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Thirst-Related DiscomfortBaseline (immediately after extubation) 2 hours post-intervention 4 hours post-interventionThe Perioperative Thirst Discomfort Scale is a 3-point Likert-type scale consisting of a total of 7 items. The rating is as follows: Did not disturb (0), Slightly disturbed (1), and Greatly disturbed. The scale does not have any sub-dimensions. Higher scores indicate greater thirst. The total score on the scale ranges from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 12.
Pain SeverityBaseline (immediately after extubation) 2 hours post-intervention 4 hours post-interventionVisual Analog Scale is used to assess pain. The patient's pain is evaluated with a score between 0 and 10. A score of 0 indicates no pain, while a score of 10 represents unbearable pain. An increase from 0 to 10 indicates increasing pain.
Anxiety LevelBaseline (immediately after extubation) 2 hours post-intervention 4 hours post-interventionThe State Anxiety Scale is a 20-item, 4-point Likert-type scale. The rating is as follows: Almost never (1), Sometimes (2), Often (3), and Almost always (4). As the score increases, anxiety also increases. The minimum total score on the scale is 0, and the maximum is 80.
Post-Extubation ComplicationsContinuous monitoring during the 4-hour intervention periodComplications such as coughing, oxygen desaturation, nausea-vomiting, or dysphagia are recorded.

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Contacts

CONTACTÖmer Taşçı, Ph. D.
o.tasci@alparslan.edu.tr+90 0436 212 49 49

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 12, 2026