Monitoring of Skin Conductance to Assess Postoperative Pain Intensity

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Previous investigations have shown that a relatively new method of skin conductance assessment (SC) correlates with periods of stress and pain (one of which might be during the period of recovery after anaesthesia) during an operation. The method follows the “lie detector principle”: the electric skin conductance is assessed by three self-sticking electrodes placed on the palm of the hand. People who are stressed often experience “sweaty palms” (due to changes in the autonomous nervous system that results in an increased filling of sweat glands). The wetter the palms, the higher the skin conductance recorded. We would like to compare the method of SCA to the results of score based pain assessment, like a visual analogue scale, during the recovery period after general anaesthesia. In this study we will recruit 75 patients. The patients will receive a standard anaesthesia and postoperative care. The SCA uses three ECG electrodes placed on the palmar surface of the hand. It is safe and not painful. We will not interfere with the anaesthesia or postoperative pain control in any way, but will observe the monitored data to get an idea about how well it correlates with our normal score based pain assessment. For that purpose, a nurse who is blinded to the readings of the skin conductance monitor will ask the patient to rate his pain on a numeric rating scale (0-10), as normally done to rate a patient's pain level in the recovery room. A second observer will record the results from the monitor ast the same time. The study will hopefully help to develop a better monitoring device for the assessment of postoperative pain. This might help with patients who have difficulties in expression of pain, for example, due to language problems or confusion.

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