Colorectal Cancer Screnning Colonoscopy Under Hypnosis: A Multicenter Randomized Non-Inferiority Trial

Colorectal cancer is the 3rd most common cancer. Colonoscopy, a screening examination, has led to an increase in patient survival. In more than 90% of cases, this examination is performed under general anesthesia (GA) because it is considered painful, even though several studies have shown its feasibility without GA with a good tolerance in 75% of cases. However, only 28% of patients accept the examination without GA because of great apprehension. GA entails an increased risk of complications but also additional costs. Thus, performing colonoscopies without GA would reduce risks and costs by 15 to 30%. In order to make the examination more acceptable and less anxiety-provoking, methods such as hypnosis have been tested with the result that pain and anxiety are reduced and the hemodynamic state of the patients is stabilized, thus reducing the examination time. To date, the majority of studies on hypnosis, of varying indications, are small, mono-centric and non-randomized.

The use of hypnosis for colorectal cancer screening colonoscopies would reduce patient anxiety, avoid complications related to GA and reduce the organizational constraints and costs related to GA.