Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation after thoracotomy. Pain relief and peak expiratory flow rate--a trial of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.

Forty patients scheduled to undergo thoracotomy were randomly allocated to receive either transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation with intramuscular papaveretum (20 patients) or intramuscular papaveretum alone (20 patients) for postoperative pain relief. Total intramuscular analgesic requirements in the first 24 hours, time to satisfactory transfer to oral analgesia, antiemetic requirements and length of stay in hospital postoperatively were noted. Peak expiratory flow rate was compared pre- and postoperatively in the two groups. Use of nerve stimulation did not significantly alter the requirements for analgesia although there was a reduction in postoperative nausea and vomiting in the nerve stimulation group. There was no difference between the two groups with respect to changes in peak expiratory flow rate.