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NCT Number: NCT07563530

Early Oral Hydration in Relieving Postoperative Thirst

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

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Key information

Conditions

Thirst; Due to Deprivation of Water Behavior Health Behavior Patient Satisfaction Personal Satisfaction Treatment Adherence and Compliance

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation

Karachi, Sindh, 74200, Pakistan

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Love Khatri, IMM

SUB_INVESTIGATOR

Muhammad M Abbas, FCPS

CONTACT

[email protected]

+923331318838

About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Male and female patients aged 18-65 years.
  • Scheduled for elective urological endoscopic procedures under general anesthesia.
  • Day-care endoscopic procedures.
  • ASA classification I-III.

Exclusion criteria

  • Known gastrointestinal disorders contraindicating early oral hydration (e.g., peptic ulcer disease, hiatal hernia, irritable bowel syndrome, esophagitis, or prior gastrointestinal surgery).
  • Inability to express thirst or communicate (e.g., language barrier, altered consciousness).
  • Requirement for nasogastric suction.
  • History of facial, oropharyngeal, or laryngeal surgery.
  • Swallowing dysfunction or delayed gastric emptying (e.g., gastroparesis).
  • Incomplete reversal of muscle relaxant at PACU admission (no adequate spontaneous breathing or protective airway reflexes).

Treatment and study plan

Early oral hydration

Dietary 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.

Primary outcomes

  1. Thirst intensity upon PACU arrival

    Time frame: Up to 2 hours during immediate post-operative period

    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]

  2. Thirst intensity at PACU discharge

    Time frame: Up to 2 hours during immediate post-operative period

    Patients will be asked Did you experience thirst at PACU discharge?

    • Yes
    • No If yes, rate your thirst intensity at PACU discharge using the VAS (0-10).

    0 = No thirst, 10 = Worst imaginable thirst

    [0---1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9---10]

  3. Patient comfort

    Time frame: Up to 2 hours during immediate post-operative period

    Rate your comfort level during the PACU stay using the VAS (0-10) (0 = Uncomfortable, 10 = Very comfortable)

    [0---1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9---10]

  4. Patient satisfaction with the hydration timing.

    Time frame: Up to 2 hours during immediate post-operative period

    How satisfied are you with the hydration timing? (5-point Likert Scale):

    • Very Dissatisfied
    • Dissatisfied
    • Neutral
    • Satisfied
    • Very Satisfied

  5. Patient satisfaction with the hydration procedure.

    Time frame: Up to 2 hours during immediate post-operative period

    How satisfied are you with the hydration process overall? (5-point Likert Scale):

    • Very Dissatisfied
    • Dissatisfied
    • Neutral
    • Satisfied
    • Very Satisfied

  6. Total oral water intake (mL) during PACU stay.

    Time frame: Up to 2 hours iduring immediate post-operative period

    The total amount of water intake will be restricted to 0.5 mL/kg. The water will be provided in a graduated cup, and the total water intake will be calculated as follows:

    Total Water Intake (mL) = Volume of water in the cup upon PACU admission - Volume of water remaining in the cup upon PACU discharge.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Adverse Events

    Time frame: Up to 2 hours during immediate post-operative period

    Do you experience any of the following adverse events after drinking water? (Check all that apply):

    • Bucking
    • Aspiration
    • Vomiting
    • None

  2. Medical intervention given for any adverse event

    Time frame: Up to 2 hours during immediate post-operative period

    Is medical intervention given for any adverse event?

    • Yes (specify: _____________)
    • No

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Muhammad M Abbas, FCPS

CONTACT

[email protected]

02199215718

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Effectiveness of Early Oral Hydration in Relieving Postoperative Thirst in Patients Undergoing Urological Endoscopic Procedures: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
May 4, 2026
Registry last updated
May 4, 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.

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