title: Hypnotic relaxation: a new sedative tool for colonoscopy?
abstract: Sedation is often justified in patients requiring colonoscopy. We investigated the potential usefulness of hypnotic relaxation in 13 women and 11 men (median age, 43 years; range, 22-67) for whom other forms of anesthesia were not available. Hypnotic relaxation resulted in moderate or deep sedation in 12 patients (nine women; p < 0.05). In the patients in whom hypnosis was successful, pain was less intense than in patients in whom hypnosis was unsuccessful (p < 0.001). In addition, all colonoscopies were completed in the successful group, versus 50% in the unsuccessful group (p < 0.05). The patients in the successful group all agreed to another examination under the same conditions, whereas only 2% in the unsuccessful group agreed (p < 0.001). Our study suggests that, in a subgroup of hypnotizable patients, hypnotic relaxation may be a safe alternative to drug sedation and merits further study.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Hepato-Gastroenterologie, Groupe Hospitalier, Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Cadranel
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Benhamou
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zylberberg
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Novello
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Luciani
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Valla
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Opolon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012064:Relaxation Therapy