• Jun-Young Park, Jihion Yu, Chan-Sik Kim, Ji-Won Baek, Taeho Mun, and Young-Kug Kim.
• From the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea (J-YP, JY, C-SK, TM, Y-KK), Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Kangwon National University Hospital, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea (J-WB).
• Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2024 Aug 14.

BackgroundCatheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD) is problematic in patients with a urinary catheter. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a non-invasive analgesic modality used to relieve various types of pain.ObjectivesWe evaluated the effect of TENS on CRBD after transurethral resection of bladder tumours (TURBT).DesignA randomised controlled trial.SettingA large university tertiary hospital, from October 2022 to March 2023.PatientsPatients requiring urinary catheterisation after TURBT.InterventionIn this randomised controlled trial, patients were randomly allocated to the TENS (n  = 56) or control (n  = 56) groups. CRBD manifests as a burning sensation with an urge to void or discomfort in the suprapubic area. Moderate to severe CRBD was defined as patients self-reporting CRBD symptoms with or without behavioural response, including attempts to remove the urinary catheter, intense verbal reactions, and flailing limbs. TENS was performed from the end of surgery to 1 h postoperatively.Main Outcome MeasureThe primary endpoint was considered moderate to severe CRBD immediately postoperatively. Secondary endpoints included moderate to severe CRBD at 1, 2 and 6 h postoperatively. Additionally, postoperative pain, patient satisfaction, and TENS-related adverse effects were evaluated.ResultsModerate to severe CRBD immediately postoperatively was significantly less frequent in the TENS group than in the control group: 10 (17.9%) vs. 34 (60.7%); P < 0.001; relative risk (95% CI) = 0.294 (0.161 to 0.536); absolute risk reduction = 0.43; number needed to treat = 2.3. Moderate to severe CRBD differed between the two groups at 1 h postoperatively: 1 (1.8%) vs. 16 (28.6%); P < 0.001; relative risk = 0.06 (95% CI 0.01 to 0.46); absolute risk reduction = 0.27; number needed to treat = 3.7. The TENS group exhibited a significantly lower score for postoperative pain at 1 h (1.8 ± 0.6 vs. 2.2 ± 0.4; P < 0.001, mean difference (95% CI) = 0.4 (0.2 to 0.6) and a higher score for patient satisfaction, 5.0 (4.0 to 6.0) vs. 3.0 (3.0 to 4.0); P < 0.001; median difference (95% CI) = 2.0 (1.0 to 2.0).ConclusionsTENS reduced moderate to severe CRBD, decreased postoperative pain, and increased patient satisfaction after TURBT.Clinical Trial RegistryClinical Research Information Service (KCT0007450).Visual Abstracthttp://links.lww.com/EJA/B12.Copyright © 2024 European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.

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