PREOPERATIVE TRAINING IN SELF-HYPNOSIS FOR SURGICAL PATIENTS

Abstract

This study examined the influence of preoperative training in self-hypnosis on physiological measures of postoperative recovery.;Thirty-two hospitalized patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass surgery volunteered to participate in this study. Each participant was assigned to one of two treatment groups or a no-treatment control group with a random stratification procedure. This procedure was used to control for variables which have an effect on responses to hypnosis and surgery. All volunteers were assessed for hypnotic capacity with the Hypnotic Induction Profile (Spiegel & Spiegel, 1978). Subjects in one group spent approximately one hour with a trained investigator and were taught to use self-hypnosis with imagery for muscle relaxation. Subjects in a second group spent approximately one hour with a trained investigator and were taught to use self-hypnosis with specific self suggestion to promote a rapid recovery from surgery. Subjects in a third group served as a no-treatment control.;Data were gathered from medical records and analyzed with analysis of variance and regression analysis. A significant difference was found in increased fluid drainage from chest tubes for the hypnotic relaxation groups compared to the other two experimental groups (within safe limits). It was found that patients of medium hypnotic capacity spent significantly less time in the intensive care unit than those of low hypnotic capacity. Additional findings indicate a tendency for those of medium hypnotic capacity to require fewer hours on Nipride to stabilize blood pressure and to have an increase in fluid draining from chest tubes.;It is concluded that self-hypnosis was able to influence post surgical physiological responses but how to direct these responses is not clear. It is also concluded that hypnotic capacity, as an inherent trait of the individual, has an ability to influence surgical outcome independent of experimental treatment.