Standard awake surgery versus hypnosis aided awake surgery for the management of high grade gliomas: A non-randomized cohort comparison controlled trial

Hypnosis could extend the time of Intraoperative Neuropsychological Testing and Brain Mapping in Awake Surgery. A clinical validation for the Hypnosis aided AS (HAs) is still ongoing and further evidences are required. The objective of the present study is to compare two homogeneous cohorts of patients undergoing AS, the first with the aid of the hypnosis and the second according to a standard AS (SAs) protocols. The clinical, radiological and surgical data of two comparable procedures cohorts were retrospectively examined for the present study. All surgeries in Group A were performed with a HAs protocol. Procedures belonging to Group B were performed with a SAs protocol. Endpoints: to compare 1. Incidence of complications in the immediate postoperative period, 2. Clinical and neurological status in the immediate postoperative period and 30 days after surgery, 3. Duration of surgical interventions, 4. Extent of Resection (EOR). The final cohort is composed of 15 procedures; 6 belonging to Group A and 9 to Group B. The different methods outline statistically comparable results from the clinical (Neurological outcomes) both in the postoperative period and one month after surgery and from the surgical point of view (comparable EOR). The incidence of complications is comparable either. The duration of the procedures was significantly longer in HAs group. Hypnosis is a promising approach to increasing the duration of intraoperative "testability" of patients at the price of a longer operative time. A specific professional is needed to induce hypnosis in the difficult intraoperative setting.