Patient-controlled analgesia and intra-operative suggestion

In a double-blind randomised study, we investigated the influence of positi ve intra-operative suggestions, presented to anaesthetised patients undergo ing total abdominal hysterectomy, on postoperative pain, nausea and vomitin g. One hundred and forty patients were randomly allocated to listen to one of four tapes containing either white noise or positive suggestions. The po sitive suggestions related to pain, postoperative nausea and vomiting, or b oth. We found that the positive intra-operative suggestions had no benefici al effects in reducing postoperative pain or nausea scores, nor was the con sumption of morphine or anti-emetics reduced.