title: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation effect on postoperative complications.
abstract: Objectives Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation has been used to control post-thoracotomy pain, with conflicting results. We aimed to assess its efficacy on post-thoracotomy pain and early complications. Methods Between January 2012 and December 2014, 87 patients underwent a standard posterolateral thoracotomy and were randomized in 2 groups: group T was 43 patients who had transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and group C was 44 patients who had placebo stimulation with an inoperative device. Pain score was measured using a visual analogue scale ranging from 0 to 10. The frequency of the device was set at 100 Hz and pulse width at 100 ms. Results There were no statistically significant differences in the demographic characteristics of the 2 groups, and there was no difference in the duration of hospitalization (4.74 ± 1.6 vs. 5.23 ± 1.5 days; p = 0.06). Postoperative pain scores of the two groups showed that on postoperative day 0, 1, and 2, the mean pain scores of group T were significantly lower ( p = 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.003). There were no significant differences in early complications or surgical technique. Conclusion We concluded that electrical stimulation is a safe and effective adjunctive therapy for acute post-thoracotomy pain control. However, it does not affect the duration of hospitalization or early pulmonary complications.
authors.affiliation: 1 Thoracic Surgery Department, Yedikule Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Celal Bugra
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Sezen
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Thoracic Surgery, Gazi University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Suleyman Anil
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Akboga
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Thoracic Surgery, Gazi University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.affiliation: 1 Thoracic Surgery Department, Yedikule Chest Diseases and Thoracic Surgery Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cem Emrah
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Kalafat
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Thoracic Surgery, Gazi University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdullah Irfan
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Tastepe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey
keywords: Combined modality therapy; Pain; Pain measurement; Postoperative complications; Thoracotomy; Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation; postoperative