Hypnosurgery
Encyclopedia
Hypnosurgery is the term given to an operation
where the patient
is sedated
using hypnotherapy
rather than traditional anaesthetics
. It is still in its experimental stages, and not often used.
During hypnosurgery, the hypnotist
helps the patient control their subconscious
reflexes so that they do not feel pain in the traditional sense. Patients are aware of sensation as the operation progresses and often describe a tingling or tickling sensation when pain would normally be expected.
What is more frequently used is hypnosedation, a combination regimen of hypnosis, local injection of analgesics and mild sedation. The patients -mostly aged or other persons that run an increased risk under general anesthesia - are mildly sedated and brought in a state of increased alertness by having them listen to a story in the operation theatre. Anesthesiologists at the University of Liège in Belgium have performed over 4800 surgical interventions, mainly in ENT and thyroid treatments, over the past 10 years.
The main benefit of hypnosurgery is that there are fewer side effects, and generally a patient can leave hospital
sooner than if normal anaesthetics are used. A reduction in blood loss and post-operative nausea
have also been recorded.
In April 2006, the British
television channel
More4
broadcast a live hernia
hypnosurgery operation.
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
where the patient
Patient
A patient is any recipient of healthcare services. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, veterinarian, or other health care provider....
is sedated
Sedation
Sedation is the reduction of irritability or agitation by administration of sedative drugs, generally to facilitate a medical procedure or diagnostic procedure...
using hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is a therapy that is undertaken with a subject in hypnosis.The word "hypnosis" is an abbreviation of James Braid's term "neuro-hypnotism", meaning "sleep of the nervous system"....
rather than traditional anaesthetics
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, or anaesthesia , traditionally meant the condition of having sensation blocked or temporarily taken away...
. It is still in its experimental stages, and not often used.
During hypnosurgery, the hypnotist
Hypnosis
Hypnosis is "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."It is a mental state or imaginative role-enactment . It is usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a long series of preliminary...
helps the patient control their subconscious
Unconscious mind
The unconscious mind is a term coined by the 18th century German romantic philosopher Friedrich Schelling and later introduced into English by the poet and essayist Samuel Taylor Coleridge...
reflexes so that they do not feel pain in the traditional sense. Patients are aware of sensation as the operation progresses and often describe a tingling or tickling sensation when pain would normally be expected.
What is more frequently used is hypnosedation, a combination regimen of hypnosis, local injection of analgesics and mild sedation. The patients -mostly aged or other persons that run an increased risk under general anesthesia - are mildly sedated and brought in a state of increased alertness by having them listen to a story in the operation theatre. Anesthesiologists at the University of Liège in Belgium have performed over 4800 surgical interventions, mainly in ENT and thyroid treatments, over the past 10 years.
The main benefit of hypnosurgery is that there are fewer side effects, and generally a patient can leave hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
sooner than if normal anaesthetics are used. A reduction in blood loss and post-operative nausea
Postoperative nausea and vomiting
Postoperative nausea and vomiting is an unpleasant complication affecting about a third of the 10% of the population undergoing general anaesthesia each year. This equates to about two million people in the United Kingdom annually.-Impact:...
have also been recorded.
In April 2006, the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television channel
Television channel
A television channel is a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. For example, in North America, "channel 2" refers to the broadcast or cable band of 54 to 60 MHz, with carrier frequencies of 55.25 MHz for NTSC analog video and...
More4
More4
More4 is a digital television channel, run by British broadcaster Channel 4, that launched on 10 October 2005. It is carried on Freeview, on satellite broadcasters Freesat and Sky, UK IPTV broadcaster TalkTalk TV and on UK cable network Virgin Media and in the Republic of Ireland cable networks...
broadcast a live hernia
Hernia
A hernia is the protrusion of an organ or the fascia of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it. A hiatal hernia occurs when the stomach protrudes into the mediastinum through the esophageal opening in the diaphragm....
hypnosurgery operation.
External links
- http://www2.ulg.ac.be/anesrea/ University of Liege, Belgium
- More4: Hypnosurgery live - the entire episode is available for download online (must register to watch).
- Cesarean section video
- BBC news story
- Hypnosurgery Live episode viewable at Google Video