A STUDY ON CLINICAL EVALUATION OF TRANSCUTANEOUS ELECTRIC NERVE STIMULATION IN RELIEF OF POST OPERATIVE PAIN AND COMPLICATIONS

Abstract

Introduction The pain in the post-operative and its management continues to be a significant problem in surgical practice. A number of factors including; age, operative techniques, personality of the patient, physical status, site of operation and tissue affected are responsible for postoperative pain.

Aims To estimate efficacy of TENS device in alleviating postoperative pain. To assess its effectivity in reducing post-operative paralytic ileus and curtailing postoperative pulmonary complications

Material and methods This clinical study was conducted on 50 patients admitted to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital Jodhpur, and who underwent laparotomy for various abdominal pathology as planned or in emergency procedure. A similar number of patients with approximately identical illness and operation were taken for the purpose of making a control group and 6 patients were also studied as placebo group.

Results 1. Continuous stimulation of pain area by TENS imparts better post surgical analgesia than intermittent stimulation. 2. TENS therapy was effective in controlling post surgical pain in 82 % (no analgesic drug) and partially effective in 12 %, (< 2 analgesic injection). 3. TENS effectivity was better observed in patients who underwent emergency surgery as preoperative pain was more excruciating as compared to the pain due to incision. 4. TENS application substantially reduced the duration of ileus post operatively due to its sympatholytic effect.

Conclusion The use of surgical TENS imparts an excellent relief of pain in the postoperative period, thereby use of both narcotic and nonnarcotic analgesics can be avoided.