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.

NCT Number	NCT07506226
Lead Sponsor	TC Erciyes University
Conditions	Major Abdominal Surgeries
Enrollment	88 participants
Start Date	2025-03-19
Primary Completion	2026-03-01 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-03-01 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-04-06