Book excerpt: The use of hypnosis in surgery and anesthesia does not seem to have any influence on operative mortality. However, hypnosis and hypnotic techniques teach patients a way to alter their body's reaction to the insult of surgery and all the poisons used to create unconsciousness. The use of hypnosis alters the psychological state of the patient which, in turn, influences the psychological reaction to the insult. This book describes in detail how to teach patients, in just a few minutes, what they can do to accomplish this. It also provides the vast amount of research that has been done to document these physiological changes that seem to be the result of the use of hypnosis. The author and her contributors have made it their goal to alleviate, prevent, and control both pain and suffering. They use hypnosis as an integral part of this effort and describe how it enhances all aspects of pain control. There are chapters on hypnosis as the sole anesthetic, as an adjunct to chemical anesthesia, and in conjunction with regional anesthesia. Additional topics include hypnosis in the intensive care unit and in the emergency room and hypnosis in obstetrics, gynecology, and pediatric surgery. The book concludes with several case studies from physician-patients. This excellent resource is intended to stimulate physicians to explore the vast capabilities of the human mind, when it is working together with the body, and with the help of unconsciousness, to accept hypnotic suggestion.