Is transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation of any value during cervical laser treatment?
OBJECTIVE
To assess the value of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) during cervical laser therapy.


METHODS
Randomized three arm controlled clinical trial comparing (i) TENS, (ii) local anaesthetic and (iii) TENS plus local anaesthetic (direct infiltration of 2% lignocaine and 0.03 iu/ml octopressin).


METHODS
Colposcopy Unit adapted to run randomized trials.


METHODS
100 women with CIN and no previous experience of cervical surgery.


METHODS
Visual linear analogue pain scores.


RESULTS
The median pain score associated with TENS was greater than the score associated with local anaesthesia (23% compared with 17%; P = 0.1). Combining TENS with local anaesthesia did not further reduce pain scores.


CONCLUSIONS
Although there was considerable consumer satisfaction with TENS it provided no additional pain relieving effect in addition to direct infiltration of lignocaine and it is inferior to lignocaine alone. We are unable to advocate the use of TENS for laser treatment of the cervix.
Crompton
A C
AC
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK.
Johnson
N
N
Dudek
U
U
Batra
N
N
Tucker
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000601:surgery; D003127:Colposcopy / Q000379:methods; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*