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Sniffing essential oils during surgery may ease anxiety and mask burnt flesh smell

NCT ID NCT04260867

Symptom relief Sponsor: Northwestern University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing This study
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 01, 2026 · Last updated Jul 02, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether smelling essential oils during skin surgery can reduce the unpleasant smell of burnt flesh from electrocautery and lower patient anxiety. About 111 adults having same-day skin procedures will be randomly assigned to receive either a real essential oil inhaler or an empty one. After surgery, they will fill out questionnaires about their experience and anxiety levels.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
essential oil aromatherapy
What this could lead to
If it works, aromatherapy could become a simple, drug-free way to make skin surgery less stressful and more pleasant.
What could go wrong
This is a small pilot study, so results may not be definitive. The effect could be due to the placebo effect, and not everyone may find the scents helpful.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

111 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Dec 2020

Expected to finish

Dec 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

19 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. \>18 years of age 2. Receiving same day cutaneous surgical procedure that requires electrocautery per protocol 3. In good general health as assessed by the investigator 4. Participants must have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent prior to registration on study Exclusion Criteria: 1. Surgery site incompatible with the patient holding a handheld aromatherapy device (physician discretion) 2. Subject unwilling to sign an IRB approved consent form 3. Participants who are unable to communicate or cooperate with the investigator due to language problems, poor mental development, or impaired cerebral function are not eligible

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

anxiety anxiety disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Anxiety

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Northwestern University Department of Dermatology

    Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.