Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation is Superior than Placebo and Control for Postoperative Pain Relief

Abstract

Aim: To determine whether transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is more efficient than placebo TENS and control groups for pain relief. Design: Randomized, single-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Setting & participants: A total of 78 adults with postoperative pain, after cholecystectomy, at the University Hospital. They were randomized into active TENS, placebo TENS and control. Intervention: A total of 30-min interventions applied in the first 24 h after the surgery. Outcome: Pain intensity. Results: Pain significantly decreased for both TENS; however, the active TENS was better. A decrease of 2 points or more on the visual analog scale for 53.8% active TENS and 11.5% placebo. Conclusion: There was a greater reduction in pain of important clinical relevance in the active TENS group.

Clinical Trial registration: Brazilian Clinical Trial (REBEC): RBR-6cgx2k.

Keywords::

• acute pain
• analgesia
• cholecystectomy
• postoperative
• transcutaneous electrical stimulation
• treatment outcome

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Clinical trials

Number of the local ethics committee: 1135/2008. Update number of the local ethics committee: 2.448.177; CAAE: 79628617.0.0000.5154; Brazilian Clinical Trial (REBEC): RBR-6cgx2k; UTN number: U1111-1207-7652.