Hypnosis as sole anaesthesia for skin tumour removal in a patient with multiple chemical sensitivity.

Abstract

A female patient with multiple chemical sensitivity and previous anaphylactoid reactions to local anaesthetics was admitted for removal of a thigh skin tumour under hypnosis as sole anaesthesia. The hypnotic protocol included hypnotic focused analgesia and a pre-operative pain threshold test. After inducing hypnosis, a wide excision was performed, preserving the deep fascia, and the tumour was removed; the patient's heart rate and blood pressure did not increase during the procedure. When the patient was de-hypnotised, she reported no pain and was discharged immediately. Our case confirms the efficacy of hypnosis and demonstrates that it may be valuable as a sole anaesthetic method in selected cases. Hypnosis can prevent pain perception and surgical stress as a whole, comparing well with anaesthetic drugs.

• Authors: E Facco, S Pasquali, G Zanette, E Casiglia
• Journal: Anaesthesia (Anaesthesia) Vol. 68 Issue 9 Pg. 961-5 (Sep 2013) ISSN: 1365-2044 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23845031 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2013 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

Topics

• Adult
• Anesthesia (methods, psychology)
• Female
• Humans
• Hypnosis (methods)
• Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (complications)
• Pain (prevention & control)
• Pain Threshold (psychology)
• Skin Neoplasms (complications, surgery)
• Thigh (surgery)