Melatonin patches improved sleep quality and psychological well-being in patients undergoing urological surgery, with Richards-Campbell Sleep Scale scores increasing significantly in the melatonin group (p<0.001).
Richards-Campbell Sleep Scale sleep-quality scores increased significantly in the melatonin group (p<0.001)
The control group showed lower sleep-quality scores compared to the melatonin group
This was a randomized controlled trial with 57 patients hospitalized in the urology department of a university hospital in Istanbul
Patients were randomly assigned to either a melatonin group or a control group
Results
Transdermal melatonin patches significantly improved psychological well-being scores in patients the night before urological surgery.
A statistically significant decrease was observed between visual analog scale well-being scores before and after application in the melatonin group (p<0.001)
The decrease in VAS well-being scores indicates improved well-being following melatonin application
No statistically significant equivalent change was reported for the control group
Methods
The melatonin intervention involved a 7 mg transdermal melatonin patch applied the night before surgery under standardized environmental conditions.
Patches contained 7 mg of melatonin and were administered transdermally
Patches were applied at 11:00 PM in a quiet, darkened room
The patch was applied the night before surgery
The transdermal delivery route was chosen as the method of administration
Methods
The study enrolled 57 patients from a university hospital urology department in Istanbul in a randomized controlled trial design.
Total sample size was 57 patients
Patients were hospitalized in the urology department of a university hospital in Istanbul
Random assignment was used to allocate patients to melatonin or control groups
The study design was a randomized controlled trial
What This Means
This research suggests that applying a melatonin patch the night before surgery can meaningfully improve both sleep quality and psychological well-being in patients scheduled for urological procedures. In this study of 57 hospital patients in Istanbul, those who received a 7 mg melatonin patch at 11 PM in a quiet, darkened room slept significantly better than those who did not receive the patch, as measured by a standardized sleep quality scale. Patients who received the melatonin patch also reported significantly better psychological well-being compared to before the patch was applied.
Poor sleep before surgery is a common problem for patients, often driven by anxiety and the unfamiliar hospital environment, and it can affect recovery outcomes. This research suggests that a simple, non-invasive intervention like a transdermal melatonin patch may be a practical tool for healthcare teams to help address preoperative sleep disturbance. Because the patch is applied through the skin rather than taken as a pill, it may offer a convenient alternative delivery method for melatonin in hospital settings. Further research with larger groups would help confirm these findings and determine the best protocols for routine clinical use.
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Toprak &, Akinci N, Akok S. (2026). The effect of preoperative melatonin patches on sleep quality in patients undergoing urological surgery.. Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992). https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9282.20251486