Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT07506226

Cold Water Gargling After Major Abdominal Surgery

This randomized controlled trial examined the effect of cold water gargling on postoperative oral dryness, thirst severity, and patient satisfaction in patients who underwent major abdominal surgery. Patients were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (cold water gargling) or the control group (standard care). Thirst severity and oral dryness were assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS; 0-10) at postoperative 8, 12, and 24 hours. Perioperative thirst-related discomfort was evaluated using the Perioperative Thirst Discomfort Scale (PTDS; score range 0-12), and patient satisfaction was assessed using a VAS (0-10) at postoperative 24 hours. The study was conducted at Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine Gevher Nesibe Hospital, General Surgery Clinic. A total of 88 patients were enrolled (44 per group). The study aimed to provide evidence for a simple, low-cost nursing intervention to improve postoperative patient comfort.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Major Abdominal Surgeries

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Erciyes University

Kayseri, 38030, Turkey (Türkiye)

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Aged 18 years or older
  • Scheduled for elective major abdominal surgery
  • Able to communicate verbally
  • Willing to participate and provided written informed consent
  • No restriction on gargling (intact swallowing reflex)

Exclusion criteria

  • Presence of oral mucositis, oral ulceration, or any oral pathology
  • History of dysphagia or swallowing difficulties
  • Presence of nausea or vomiting preventing gargling
  • Altered level of consciousness or inability to cooperate
  • Receiving intravenous fluid therapy that resolves thirst symptoms
  • Patients who required reoperation during the study period
  • Patients transferred to the intensive care unit postoperatively

Treatment and study plan

Cold water gargling

Other

Patients gargled with cold water at postoperative 8, 12, and 24 hours. Each gargling session involved approximately 10 mL of cold water (approximately 4°C) for 30 seconds. The procedure was performed under nurse supervision. Patients were instructed not to swallow the water and to spit it out after gargling. No oral fluid intake was permitted during the study period per standard postoperative protocol.

Primary outcomes

  1. Thirst Severity

    Time frame: Postoperative 8, 12, and 24 hours

    Assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS; 0=no thirst, 10=very severe thirst)

  2. Oral Dryness Severity

    Time frame: Postoperative 8, 12, and 24 hours

    Assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS; 0=no oral dryness, 10=very severe oral dryness)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Perioperative Thirst-Related Discomfort

    Time frame: Postoperative 24 hours

    Assessed using the Perioperative Thirst Discomfort Scale (PTDS; Turkish version). 6-item, 3-point Likert scale. Total score range 0-12; higher scores indicate greater discomfort.

  2. Patient Satisfaction

    Time frame: Postoperative 24 hours

    Assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS; 0=not satisfied at all, 10=very satisfied)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

TC Erciyes University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effect of Cold Gargling on Oral Dryness, Thirst Severity, and Patient Satisfaction in Patients Who Have Undergone Major Abdominal Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Apr 1, 2026
Registry last updated
Apr 6, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.