Hypnotizability and recovery from cardiac surgery

Abstract

We studied 32 coronary bypass patients to examine the effect of hypnosis on recovery from surgery. The patients were assessed for hypnotizability with the Hypnotic Induction Profile (HIP) and assigned to experimental groups with a random stratification procedure to equate for differences in hypnotizability, age, and severity of illness. We taught patients in groups one and two formal hypnosis with different treatment strategies; patients in group three were not taught formal hypnosis or a treatment strategy. Scores on the HIP were significant predictors of recovery, independent of experimental treatment with formal hypnosis. Patients who scored "Midrange" stabilized more quickly in the intensive care unit (ICU) than those who scored "High" or "Low" (p = < .05). Patients who scored "High" had more labile blood pressure in the ICU compared to the "Midrange" and "Lows" (p = < .05). Measured hypnotizability was associated with the recovery sequence from surgery.