Effects of Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation on Postoperative Anxiety in Patients Undergoing Intraspinal Tumor Resection

The incidence of postoperative anxiety in surgery ranges from 4.1% to 79.6% , and among patients undergoing intraspinal tumor resection surgery, the incidence of postoperative anxiety is as high as 46.7%.Adverse effects induced by anxiety include insomnia, exacerbated pain, impaired wound healing and immune function, increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events, and postoperative cognitive dysfunction. These may lead to postoperative depression and chronic pain, significantly delaying patient recovery. The goal of this study is to investigate the effects of intraoperative transcranial alternating current stimulation on postoperative anxiety in adult patients undergoing intraspinal tumor resection. It will also evaluate the safety of the transcranial alternating current stimulation. This study will enroll adult patients undergoing elective intraspinal tumor resection surgery. The study will compare the transcranial alternating current stimulation with a sham stimulation to see whether the intervention can reduce the incidence of postoperative anxiety. The trial will also compare the anxiety scores, the incidence of delirium, pain scores, frial scores, sleep quality scores, recovery quality scores and adverse events between intervention and control groups. We also plan to compare the electroencephalography parameters and serum level of substance P to investigate the potential mechanism.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 to 65 years old * Scheduled for elective intraspinal tumor resection under general anesthesia * American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-III * Able to understand and complete the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and other study-related questionnaires * Voluntarily sign the informed consent form * Right handed Exclusion Criteria: * Preoperative HADS-A score ≥ 8 * History of psychiatric disorders (e.g., depression, psychosis) or use of psychotropic medications within the past 3 months * History of neurological diseases (e.g., epilepsy, stroke, dementia) or severe head trauma * Contraindications to transcranial alternating current stimulation, including metallic implants in the head, skull defects, or a history of seizures * Severe visual or auditory impairment that affects communication * severe cardiovascular and cerebral vascular diseases * Participation in other clinical trials within the past 30 days * A Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score \< 15