The Effects of Menthol and Cold Spray Applications on Thirst and Comfort in Bariatric Surgery

Summary

Bariatric surgery is a widely used surgical treatment method in obesity management that improves quality of life and provides long-term weight loss. Patients often experience thirst in the early postoperative period. Factors that increase thirst include cessation of oral intake, room temperature, intubation, dehydration, hypovolemia, and oxygen therapy in the preoperative period. Furthermore, failure to initiate oral intake early in the postoperative period increases thirst and negatively impacts patient comfort. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of menthol spray and cold spray applications on the thirst and comfort levels of patients in the postoperative period. The study aims to contribute to the improvement of nursing practices related to postoperative thirst and comfort management with the findings obtained from this study. This randomized controlled clinical trial is planned to be conducted with patients undergoing bariatric surgery at the General Surgery Clinic of Istanbul Atlas University Hospital. The study population will consist of patients hospitalized in the General Surgery Department of Atlas University Hospital who have undergone bariatric surgery. The sample was determined as 159 patients meeting the inclusion criteria in three groups, calculated using the GPower 3.1.9.7 program with an effect size of f=0.25, a significance level of α=0.05, and a test power of (1-β)=0.80. Considering data loss, the study is planned to be conducted with 180 patients. The "Patient Information Form," "Visual Analog Scale-Comfort (VAS-A)," "Dehydration Visual Analog Scale (VAS)," and "Surgical Dehydration Discomfort Scale (CDSBRÖ)" will be used to collect research data.

Conditions

• Thirst in Bariatric Surgery Patients

Interventions

OTHER

Menthol Group

Patients who arrive at the clinic after surgery and participate in the study will have their comfort scores determined and recorded using the VAS scale, and their thirst severity and thirst-related discomfort scale will be assessed and recorded. To prevent bronchoaspiration, the patient's bed will be raised at a 30°-45° angle. The patient will then be instructed to open their mouth, lift their tongue, and direct the spray towards the sublingual area, the mucous membranes of both cheeks, and the surface of the tongue. Next, a 5 cm applicator containing menthol water obtained from leaves and flowers through modern distillations and kept at +4°C will be inserted 2-3 cm deep into the mouth and sprayed three times sequentially onto the palate, the left cheek, the surface of the tongue, the right cheek, and the laryngopharynx. Each spray will be approximately 2 ml. Three more sprays will be administered at 2, 4, and 6 hours after arrival at the surgical clinic. The patients' standard treatme

OTHER

Cold Spray Group

Cold Spray Group Patients who arrive at the clinic after surgery and participate in the study will have their comfort scores determined and recorded using the VAS scale, thirst severity, and thirst-related discomfort scale. Initial assessments (irritation, nausea, vomiting, aspiration risk, swallowing difficulty) will be performed as soon as the patient arrives at the clinic after surgery. The patient's bed will be raised at a 30°-45° angle to prevent bronchoaspiration. Then, the patient will be instructed to open their mouth, lift their tongue, and direct the spray towards the sublingual area, the mucous membranes of both cheeks, and the surface of the tongue. The patient will be asked to keep their mouth closed for 5 minutes after each application. Then, insert the 5 cm applicator into the mouth 2-3 cm deep and spray ice-cold water three times sequentially onto the palate, the left cheek, the surface of the tongue, the right cheek, and the laryngopharynx. Each spray will be approxima

OTHER

Placebo Group

Patients who arrive at the clinic after surgery and participate in the study will have their comfort scores determined and recorded using the VAS scale, and their thirst severity and thirst-related discomfort scale will be assessed. Initial assessments (irritation, nausea, vomiting, aspiration risk, dysphagia) will be performed as soon as the patient arrives at the clinic post-surgery. The patient's bed will be raised to a 30°-45° angle to prevent bronchoaspiration. The patient will then be instructed to open their mouth, lift their tongue, and direct the spray towards the sublingual area, the mucous membranes of both cheeks, and the surface of the tongue. The patient will be asked to keep their mouth closed for 5 minutes after each application. Then, insert the 5 cm applicator 2-3 cm deep into the mouth and spray ice-cold water three times sequentially onto the palate, the left cheek, the surface of the tongue, the right cheek, and the laryngopharynx. Each spray will be approximately

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Atlas University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-07-30

Primary Completion

2026-09-30

Completion

2026-10-30

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations