Feasibility of clinical hypnosis for transesophageal echocardiography in children and adolescents

Background:The use of hypnosis in children has been described more than two centuries ago, with a more recent research and clinical application. There is currently a good level of evidence for the efficacy of clinical hypnosis in children for minor surgery, medical procedures or pain management. The use of clinical hypnosis, in paediatric cardiology, for invasive procedures such as transesophageal echocardiography, has not been reported.Aims:This study evaluated the feasibility of clinical hypnosis in children undergoing transesophageal echocardiography.Method:This prospective, non-randomised, cross-sectional study was carried out over 24 months in a paediatric cardiology referral centre. All children aged 10–18 years requiring a transesophageal echocardiography examination, outside the operating room and the catheterisation laboratory, were eligible for the study. Children and families could choose between transesophageal echocardiography under clinical hypnosis or under general anaesthesia (<15 years) o...