Hypnosis and Surgery

Hypnosis was first used as a surgical anesthetic in India in 1845 but was quickly abandoned with the introduction of ether the following year.

It is in Europe that surgical applications of hypnosis seem to have flourished. Studies showing that hypnosedated patients suffer fewer side effects than fully sedated ones do seem to have peaked interest in the uses of hypnosis. According to Dr. Faymonville,in England, hypnotized patients can get by on less than 1% of the standard medications required for general anesthesia, thus avoiding such after effects as nausea, fatigue, lack of coordination and cognitive impairment. In a 1999 study of thyroid patients, Dr. Faymonville found that the typical hypnosedated patient returned to work 15 days after surgery, compared with 28 days for a fully anesthetized patient.