Hypnosis in the operating room, minus the swinging watch

Mind & calm · 2 min read

Clinical hypnosis is a structured relaxation and focus technique. A meta-analysis of 34 randomized trials (2,597 patients) found positive effects on emotional distress, pain, medication use, recovery and procedure time, with the caveat that study quality was limited.

In a randomized trial of 200 patients having breast surgery (excisional biopsy or lumpectomy), a 15-minute pre-surgery hypnosis session was linked with less propofol and lidocaine use and with lower reported pain intensity, nausea, fatigue, discomfort and emotional upset at discharge. Patients were not blinded to group.

Where we land: promising, low risk, and a good companion to anesthesia, not a replacement. We use calm voice, breathing and guided imagery during awake care, and we will never push it on you.

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References

1. Tefikow S, Barth J, Maichrowitz S, et al. Efficacy of hypnosis in adults undergoing surgery or medical procedures: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clin Psychol Rev. 2013;623-636. PMID 23628907
2. Montgomery GH, Bovbjerg DH, Schnur JB, et al. A randomized clinical trial of a brief hypnosis intervention to control side effects in breast surgery patients. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2007;1304-1312. PMID 17728216