Examples of positive suggestions given to patients undergoing orthopaedic surgeries.

In the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in the University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary, we examined the effectiveness of positive suggestions used in the perioperative period in hip and knee arthroplasties performed under spinal anaesthesia. The goal of the suggestions was to reduce the need for red blood cell transfusion and for analgesics, and to increase the patients' satisfaction. The objective of this article is to present our method with concrete examples of positive suggestions which were given first before the surgery (via personal conversation), then during the operation as well (via audiotaped method). We hope that our article will contribute to the wide-spread awareness of this relatively easy to learn communication method.