Patients´ experiences of TENS as a postoperative pain relief method in the post-anesthesia care unit after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a qualitative study.

Abstract

Background: High-frequency, high-intensity transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (HFHI TENS, i.e. 80 Hz and 40-60 mA) is an effective, fast-acting pain relief modality after elective surgery, offering pain relief within 5 min. Few studies have explored patients' perspectives on using TENS in the post-anesthesia care unit. This study investigates patients' experiences and perceptions of TENS as a complementary approach to traditional pharmacological pain management in postoperative care.

Method: Patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy were offered TENS as an alternative to conventional pain treatment with IV opioids. Twenty participants attended telephone semi-structured telephone interviews a median of 12 days after surgery. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis according to Braun and Clark.

Results: Participants expressed that TENS provided reassurance and relaxation, calmed them, and gave them a sense of control over their pain. Participants perceived a greater degree of autonomy as TENS could be administered independently. They conveyed a preference for TENS, which they experienced as a safe and fast-acting alternative to opioids, despite its limitations in managing severe pain and rapid offset upon discontinuation.

Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study that describes patients' views on managing postoperative pain using TENS in the post-anesthesia care unit. This study indicates that patients desire alternatives to drugs for pain control in the postoperative setting. TENS has advantages, such as a rapid onset and offset and supporting patient autonomy, as well as drawbacks, such as being ineffective when pain is too severe. TENS could be included within the routine multimodal analgesia framework for person-centred postoperative pain management.

Trial registration: The participants in the current study were retrospectively registered and recruited from a randomized controlled trial (RCT; registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04114149).