ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of inhalation aromatherapy on sedation level, analgesic dosage, and bispectral index (BIS) values during donor site dressing in patients with burns.
METHODS: This trial was conducted on 62 patients with burns requiring donor site dressing who were admitted to the Burn Center of Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad, Iran. In the intervention group, the patients inhaled damask rose 40% and lavender 10% essential oils during donor site dressing change, whereas in the control group, the site was dressed using routine protocol. Sedatives and analgesics were prescribed until the levels of brain activity achieved light sedation. The brain activity and sedation levels were measured before and after the donor site dressings using the BIS. Data were analyzed using the analysis of covariance and the two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures.
RESULTS: All 62 patients completed the study. The required doses of ketamine (P < .001), fentanyl (P = .003), morphine (P < .001), and propofol (P < .001) were significantly lower in the intervention group. The BIS was also significantly lower in the intervention group (P < .001). Heart rate decreased significantly during the aromatherapy, as well as after analgesic and sedative consumption (P < .001).
CONCLUSIONS: The inhalation of damask rose and lavender essential oils is an effective intervention to reduce the doses of sedative and analgesic drugs administered as well as BIS during donor site dressing change in patients with burns.