\Interest of Hypnosis in Reducing Pain and Anxiety among patients scheduled for parietal urological surgery
I. Kacem, A. Ghenim, M. Ajmi, C. Sridi, A. Gaddour, F. Chelly, I. Fki, M. Maoua, M. Kahloul, W. NaijaIntroduction
Pain management remains a major challenge in perioperative medicine. Hypnosis has emerged as a promising alternative, capable of modulating pain perception, reducing anxiety, and improving the overall perioperative experience for patients.
Objectives
To evaluate the perioperative benefits of hypnosis in the context of parietal urological surgery.
Methods
This was a randomized, controlled, single-blind clinical trial conducted among patients scheduled for parietal urological surgery under general anesthesia in the urology operating room at Sahloul University Hospital of Sousse, over a four-month period (February to May 2025). The patients included in the study were randomly assigned to two groups of 15 patients each: Intervention group (Group I): patients who received a session of self-hypnosis immediately before anesthetic induction. Control group (Group C): patients who underwent general anesthesia without hypnosis. Postoperative pain and anxiety were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) every 4 hours during the first 48 hours.
Results
Preoperative anxiety VAS was 7.74 ± 1.19 in group I and 7.33 in group C (p = 0.423). Postoperatively, pain intensity decreased progressively in both groups. Mean VAS scores were comparable between groups I and C at all time points, except at H24, where the mean VAS was 0.06 ± 0.25 in group I and 0.73 ± 0.79 in group C (p = 0.007), showing a significant reduction in pain in the hypnosis group. Postoperative anxiety was overall lower in the hypnosis group, with significant differences observed at H4 (p = 0.048), H8 (p = 0.006), and H24 (p = 0.005).
Conclusions
These findings suggest a beneficial effect of hypnosis, as it significantly reduces both postoperative pain and anxiety, thereby improving the overall recovery experience after surgery.
Disclosure of Interest
None Declared