Hypnosis as adjunct therapy to conscious sedation for venous access device implantation in breast cancer: A pilot study

The use of hypnotic communication in PICC placement: randomized controlled trial study

Every time a patient undergoes a medical procedure, unpredicted personal stress occurs. According to the available literature, the hypnotic communication technique has been used to reduce stress and pain during several major invasive procedures. The primary goal of this study was to compare the effectiveness of hypnotic communication combined with buffered Lidocaine, versus buffered Lidocaine alone, on patients' negative emotions while undergoing Peripherally Inserted Central Venous Catheter (PICC) placement. Secondary aims were evaluating patients' pain, satisfaction, and procedure timing and costs. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in an Italian Hospital involving patients who needed a PICC, with any disease or condition, aged over 18, cognitively oriented, able to hear, and willing to give consent. Emotional assessment was performed using the Emotion Thermometer Tool. Sixty-seven subjects were enrolled: 17 refused to participate, and 25 were randomly assigned to each group. The results showed a statistically significant higher decline in the total Emotion Thermometer Tool score for the experimental group using hypnotic communication. A significant mean reduction in anger and depression was also observed, while both groups reported low levels of perceived pain. Hypnotic communication appears to be a successful method for reducing emotional stress during PICC placement. However, further research is needed to determine the relationship between hypnotic communication, emotional distress, and pain perception in patients undergoing central vascular catheter insertion.

Evaluation of patients' and practitionners' satisfaction with the use of hypnosis during a thermal endovenous procedure

INTRODUCTION

In the field of vascular surgery, hypnosis has been used in the creation of venous approaches but also as a complement to local anesthesia during more extensive vascular surgery, including the insertion of abdominal aortic aneurysm stents. The practice of thermal endovenous procedures seems to us to be conducive to hypnotic support in particular to reinforce hypnoanalgesia.

METHOD

We present a prospective and monocentric observational study at the University Hospital of Grenoble with consecutive inclusions whose objective was to evaluate the interest and the satisfaction of the patients and practionners about the practice of hypnosis during procedures of thermal endovenous treatments.

RESULTS

Among the 31 patients treated with endovenous laser, 27 accepted the hypnosis proposal, 16 had hypnosis considered as formal and 13 conversational hypnosis and 10 conversation only. Among them, 29% of patients considered that the hypnoanalgesia technique had enormously relaxed them and 19% "very relaxed"; 42% of patients considered themselves "good", 32% "very good" and 19% "extremely good" at the end of the procedure. Concerning the practitioners performing the endovenous procedure, more than half (51, 51%) considered that hypnoanalgesia relaxed the patient "moderately and/or a lot". The results were as a whole point to a high level of satisfaction on the part of patients and practitioners with the practice of procedures with various levels of hypnosis induction. Despite many biases, this study has the merit of concluding that the patients were very satisfied with the apprehension of these gestures as well as the practitioners, and this without any additional time during the procedure.

Use of hypnosis for the placement of a midline catheter in a patient at the end of life

OBJECTIVE

The case of a non-oncological patient at the end of his life, admitted to a Palliative Care Unit (PCU), is presented. After a failed attempt to place a central venous catheter (CVC) and another placement of a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC), the patient exhibited high anxiety regarding a midline catheter (MC) and refused its placement, even though this was necessary for the administration of intravenous drugs to control dyspnea and other complex symptoms that he presented.

METHOD

An intervention through clinical hypnosis for successful MC placement and symptom control is described.

RESULT

Through clinical hypnosis and interdisciplinary teamwork, it was possible to place a MC, necessary for symptomatic control of a complex patient.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULT

This case exemplifies hypnosis as a simple procedure that is easy to apply, accepted by the patient, and effective in the implementation of invasive procedures and symptom control in PCUs.