Review of Preoperative Surgical Tapes

See Preparing for Surgery to understand the rationale for using a preop tape.

Contact Dr. Stein if you have a preop tape you’d like reviewed.

What category of tape should I chose?

How often should I listen?

What design parameters should I consider?

Table comparison of commercial tapes

Detailed information on commercial tapes

Make your own tape

What category of tape should I chose?
The first decision you need to make is what your source will be.

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How often should I listen?
No formal studies have been done to determine what constitutes “enough”.  Each of the commercial tapes has different suggestions for how often and for how many days to listen.  Earlier studies that were done before the more common use of tapes, showed that even providing relaxation or making suggestions just before surgery showed positive results.  So anything is better than nothing.  Twice a day for three days prior to surgery is a reasonable minimum, with more days or even weeks ahead being desirable if it is possible.  Most tapes last about 20 minutes.  One tape (Huddleston) insists on patients staying awake while they listen, but others believe if you happen to fall asleep while you are listening, you will still benefit.  Yet another tape, Hemi-sync, wants you to fall asleep after you listen.   Listening first thing in the morning and just before sleep has been suggested, as one method of helping you to listen when you are in a more relaxed state.  In general, the logistics of when, where and how often to listen are less important than just doing it.

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What design parameters should I consider?
If you decide to buy a commercial tape or make your own, you then need to consider how you feel about the following options:

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Table comparison of commercial tapes
The following is a table outlining the parameters of several commercial preop tapes, listed in alphabetical order.  There is no one “best” tape.  Each has something to offer.  The best tape is the one that fits you the best.  And even though one or two parameters might be a little different than what you may have preferred, most people can adapt easily if the tape in general meets their needs. 
[Note: some childhood sexual abusers referred to their victim as their “special girl”, or that they were going to go to their “special place”.  Several of these tapes mention going to a special place.  If this is an issue for you, Hemi-sync and Huddleston don't use the word special, Naparstek and Neiman use it once, and Rodgers and Tusek three times.]

V = voice  

B = background

F = format

MS = medical suggestions (rated 0 - +++)

T = tone (P permissive, D directive)

FF = family and friends (rated 0 - +++)

S = spirituality (rated 0 - +++)

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Detailed information on commercial tapes

Healthyroads
“Guided Imagery Program: Preparing for Surgery”

Hemi-sync
“Surgical Support Series”

Huddleston, Peggy
“Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster”

Naparstek, Belleruth

“Surgery”

Neimark, Neil MD

“Less Stress Surgery”

Rodgers, Linda

“P.I.P. Surgical Audiotapes Series”

Tusek, Diane

“Guided Imagery for Stressful Times”

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Make your own tape
Please see What design parameters should I consider? and decide on what overall approach would work best for you.  Pick who will be the main voice, and who might be chiming in; get your equipment organized (30 minute/side tape works best), arrange background sounds if you are going to utilize this option (music, ocean, nature), write your script and have a rehearsal. Use your creativity to provide the images you need. How are you feeling about the surgery?  Scared?  What could you imagine that would make you unscared?  Below are some general suggestions, but there are many variations, and you might have some unique requirements.  Follow your intuition.

Generic tape:
1)  Establish a relaxed state with a method you already use, or focus on breathing, or relax one part of your body progressively at a time.
2)  Go someplace else—somewhere you’ve been, would like to go, or completely in your imagination.  Somewhere in nature that is beautiful and serene is often used.  Describe it in detail with all of your senses, emphasizing how safe and good you feel there. 

If you’d like, you can make the above last about twenty minutes, do a continuous loop on both sides of the tape and stop there.  Or…

Other elements to possibly add to a generic tape:
3)  Family, friends, pets.  Who would you like to meet there?  (Living or deceased.)  Have them show their love, support and protection in some way via whatever image comes to mind—all holding hands, hugs, them talking to you, etc.--or have them actually talk to you on the tape.
4)  Spirituality.  Would you like to interact with a religious figure, be bathed in a light from the sky, feel connected to nature, or feel a protective presence?  What would this presence offer you or say, and how would it make you feel?

Again, if you’d like you can stop here.  The tape you’ve created from #1-4 could be used preop, intraop and postop, to decrease anxiety and provide you with inner support.  However, to get the maximum benefit from using a surgical preparation tape, medical suggestions could also be utilized.

Choose from an array of medical suggestions to add to your preop tape:
5)  Trust in the professionalism and skill of your doctor and the hospital staff.
6)  Decrease nausea and vomiting – usually this is couched in positive terms by saying that when you wake up after surgery you will feel hungry for _____ (your favorite food), and/or that you will notice activity and gurgling in your abdomen.
7)  Decrease in pain – positively say that you will feel comfortable and relaxed, feeling little discomfort and able to cope with how you feel.  Imagine the muscles around the incision releasing tension and being relaxed and comfortable.  Avoid using the word “pain”.
8)  Decrease in bleeding – suggest to yourself that you will have minimal bleeding, that the blood flow can move away from the area of surgery so that the doctors can see better, and then return with nutrients to increase healing when the time is appropriate.
9)  Several other functions can be mentioned, depending on what is pertinent to your situation—urinating easily, breathing easily, etc. 
10) If you are in a complicated situation, and know you are going to wake up with various tubes, or especially on a respirator, develop some words and imagery that help you work together with your equipment as a team; that the tube is your friend, aiding you until you can act on your own.
11) Suggest that if something unusual happens during surgery, all of your body systems can easily coordinate to compensate and adjust for your maximum benefit.
12) Remark on how beautifully and quickly your incision will heal.
13)  Imagine moving freely and easily in the hospital after surgery.
14)  Imagine some future time after surgery, when you are completely healed, and doing some favorite activity with ease.
15)  Thank your body for its amazing ability to heal.

Intraop and to a certain extent postop you could use this tape #1-15, and/or listen to music.

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Best wishes as you embark on this taping project,
as well as for a speedy recovery to full health.

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