Effects of Lavender Oil on Postoperative Pain, Sleep Quality and Mood

Background & Significance:

Essential oils have been formally documented in use since the time of the Egyptians. The Ebers Papyrus document notes Egyptians using frankincense for different physical ailments. In Greece Hippocrates used essential oils to fumigate the city of Athens to fight off the plague. In medieval periods lavender essential oil was used for its antidepressive, anxiolytic, sedative, and analgesic properties. Medieval Persian physicians made records of their treatment plans which included lavender for depression and pain for headaches. With the invention of steam distillation to separate the essential oil from the plant Europe began to use oils in perfumes and for medicinal benefits in the 1500's. Two physicians named Hieronymus and Brunschwig wrote one of the earliest printed books on the distillation and use of essential oils for medical benefits. By the 19th century a French chemist Rene- Maurice Gattefosse was known for studying essential oils and their therapeutic benefits. His work and documentation led the way for the support of essential oil in medical ailments. Robert Tisserand in the early 1990s reviewed the French chemists work and added to his research to help make essential oils more known to the public in present day.

In recent years lavender has been studied on human subjects to tests its known reputation for sedative, anxiolytic, and analgesic properties. In one clinical trial oral administration of lavender was compared to Ativan 0.5mg for generalized anxiety disorder. The study supported that the oral lavender oil called Silexan was as effective as 0.5mg of Ativan in adults with generalized anxiety disorder. A second clinical trial analyzing sleep quality found that ischemic heart patients in the intensive care unit received better sleep with 100% lavender oil undiluted placed on a cotton ball within 20cm from the patient from the hours of 9pm-6am. Two studies have used lavender oil through inhalation in the recovery room with an oxygen mask after surgery for pain control. The first study was patients after breast biopsy, the second was patients who just had laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. The study with the breast biopsy patients showed a higher satisfaction rate with pain. The patients undergoing laparoscopic banding also showed a higher rate of satisfaction with pain as well as decreased opioid use in the recovery room. Furthermore one study used 100% lavender oil undiluted on the skin of pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy as a topical application and asked the patients to inhale. The study showed a decrease use in Tylenol usage postoperatively.

Design & Procedures:

Design Randomized study with control group and test group. Using a 1:1 treatment allocation ratio, the total of 60 patients (30 per arm) will be randomly assigned to control or treatment arm. The Statistical Investigator will generate the randomization scheme and monitor the randomization process over the course of the trial. The study will use randomization with random permuted blocks. The test group will receive 50% lavender oil diluted in fractionated coconut oil and the control group will have the current standard of care with no essential oil intervention. Fractionated coconut oil is being used because it is colorless, odorless, does not stain clothing, and has a long shelf life. It also serves as a carrier oil for the essential oil to absorb into the skin instead of evaporating off the skin due to essential oils volatile nature.