The Impact of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) on Acute Pain and Other Postoperative Outcomes: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis
Viderman D. Nabidollayeva F. Aubakirova M. Sadir N. Tapinova K. Tankacheyev R. Abdildin Y.G.
January 2024Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
Journal of Clinical Medicine
2024#13Issue 2
This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in postoperative acute pain control. PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library were searched on 1–8 December 2022, for randomized controlled trials on the analgesic effects of TENS. The outcomes were pain intensity and opioid use (primary), and postoperative (PO) adverse events, blood pressure, and the duration of hospital stay (secondary); PROSPERO CRD42022333335. A total of 40 articles were included in the meta-analysis. Pain intensity at rest and during coughing for all types of surgeries combined was lower in the TENS group (standardized mean difference (SMD) = −0.51 [−0.61, −0.41], p < 0.00001, 29 studies, and −1.28 [−2.46, −0.09], p-value = 0.03, six studies, respectively). There was a statistically significant decrease in morphine requirements, as well as in the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, dizziness, and pruritus. There was no difference between the groups in postoperative pain intensity during walking, in blood pressure, and only a borderline difference in the length of hospital stay. The subgroup analysis by surgery type did not show significant differences between the groups in pain severity at rest. Thus, TENS has a potential for pain control and postoperative recovery outcomes.
acute pain , adverse events , hospital stay , postoperative pain , transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
Text of the article Перейти на текст статьи
Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, National Research Oncology Center, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, National Research Neurosurgery Center, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Department of Surgery
Department of Anesthesiology
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery
10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель
Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026