Standardized Patient Education in Pituitary Surgery

Bursa Uludag University

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Pituitary Adenoma

Treatments: Other: Standardized Pituitary Training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07618949

2026-8/11

Details and patient eligibility

About

Protocols are being developed and implemented to ensure the best possible recovery process for patients undergoing transsphenoidal surgery, and their impact on patient outcomes is being evaluated. In studies where perioperative protocols-including patient education (verbal and written instruction on dehydration, hyponatremia, adrenal insufficiency, CSF leakage, meningitis, and the signs and symptoms of visual or other neurological disorders)-are implemented, it has been reported that patients' length of hospital stay is reduced, the rate of patients experiencing hyponatremia has decreased, and readmissions have declined (Sanchez-Garavito et al., 2024; Sarris et al., 2021). However, since these studies included protocols covering the entire surgical process-not just patient education-it is difficult to determine whether changes in patient outcomes stem from patient education or from alterations in other parameters within the protocol.

Therefore, in the clinic where this study will be conducted, the effect of patient education on postoperative patient outcomes will be examined by developing an educational material that standardizes patient education, without making any changes to the surgical or pharmacological processes.

Enrollment: 102 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Admitted for elective surgery due to a pituitary tumor.
• Has not previously undergone surgery for the same medical condition.
• Has voluntarily agreed to participate in the study.
• Has no missing medical data.
• Can speak Turkish or understand what is being explained.
• Patients aged 18 and older.

Exclusion criteria

• Emergency surgery will be performed.
• Revision surgery will be performed.
• Those who voluntarily decline to participate in the study.
• Those with incomplete medical data.
• Those who cannot speak or understand Turkish.
• Patients under the age of 18.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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102 participants in 2 patient groups

Education group

Active Comparator group

Description:

The standardized educational material to be used with the training group was developed by the researchers through a literature review and includes evidence-based recommendations that patients should follow after pituitary surgery. The educational material and the sources used to create it are included in the appendix. Before providing education to patients in the intervention group, nurses and resident physicians working in neurosurgery will receive in-person training on the rationale and details of the material. Patients will be included in the education program starting from their preoperative hospital admission; the content of the educational material will be explained by a nurse, and a visual copy will be provided to both the patient and their caregiver. Additionally, the material will be posted in a clearly visible location in the patient's room.

Treatment:

Other: Standardized Pituitary Training

Control group

No Intervention group

Description:

The control group for this study will consist of former patients who underwent pituitary surgery at the Neurosurgery Clinic prior to the start of this scientific study. Routine post-operative care at the clinic following pituitary surgery is as follows: patients who have undergone pituitary surgery are provided with information about the surgical process by the attending physician prior to surgery, and their voluntary written consent is obtained. After surgery, the physician, resident, and nurse provide verbal instructions to the patient regarding constipation and precautions related to the nose; however, no standardized written educational materials are used.