Paravertebral transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation reduces movement during general anesthesia with isoflurane.
We evaluated paravertebral transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) as a means of enhancing anesthesia during hysterectomy. Patients were randomly assigned to experimental (n = 21) and control (n = 20) groups. Anesthesia with isoflurane was performed uniformly for all patients. Paravertebral (T6 and T7) TENS (50 mA, 15 Hz, continuously) was applied in the experimental group. After 15 min of isoflurane, a lower abdominal, skin-to-adipose-tissue incision was made. Seventeen of 21 patients in the experimental group showed no arm or leg movements during the incision, compared to 8 with 20 patients in the control group (P = 0.007). TENS deserves further exploration as an adjunct technique for general anesthesia.
Su
Hao-Po
HP
Department of Anesthesiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical Center, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Tso
Jen-Yan
JY
Chen
Yi-Shen
YS
Chen
Tsung-Ying
TY
Shiau
Jieh-Min
JM
Tseng
Chia-Chih
CC
D000328:Adult; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D005121:Extremities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D007530:Isoflurane; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D007530:Isoflurane