Hypnosis versus Anesthesia: a study with children undergoing Magnetic Resonance Imaging procedures

Identifier:  TDX:3224

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX3224

Authors:  Malafronte, Marialuisa

Abstract:
Background: Despite the recognized efficacy of hypnosis in anesthesia, few studies have been published in the pediatric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) setting. This can be explained by possible specific difficulties, such as the environmental noise and the need for tailoring the procedure according to different ages. The potential complications related to the use of anesthetics during MRI procedures, whose management can be difficult outside the operating room's safer environment, justified our focus on the need for an alternative technique to avoid anesthesia. Objectives: to design a new hypnosis protocol according to the Ericksonian approach and to set up a prospective observational study to check its feasibility and efficacy on anxiety, pain, drug consumption, and anesthesiological risk in a pediatric population undergoing MRI. Procedure: We compared two groups of children who received anesthesia (n=50) or hypnosis (n=58). After obtaining informed consent by parents, a total of 108 subjects were recruited. Statistical analysis included the Fisher's exact test and the U- Mann-Whitney test for continuous variables and the Wilcoxon test and Odds ratio.