PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for treatment of postoperative pain and pulmonary functions (vital capacity (VC); cough peak flow (CPF)) in patients who underwent abdominal surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight patients were randomly allocated to receive TENS, placebo TENS, or no TENS (control) 1 hour a day for 3 days postoperatively. A 0 to 100 visual analog scale was used to assess pain at preintervention, mid-intervention, and postintervention on the third postoperative day. Pulmonary functions (VC, CPF) were evaluated by spirometer at preoperation (baseline) and at preintervention, mid-intervention, and postintervention on the third postoperative day. One-way analysis of variance was used to assess differences between groups at baseline. Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the control group with the placebo-TENS and TENS group, at each assessment timepoint. Two-way analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc test assessed the difference between the 2 (placebo-TENSxTENS) groups. A value of p < 0.01 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The baselines were not significantly different between any groups. The TENS group had significant reductions in postoperative pain compared with the placebo group (p < 0.01) and control group (p < 0.01). There was also improvement in pulmonary functions (VC, CPF) at mid-TENS and post-TENS, but not in the placebo-TENS (p < 0.01) or control groups (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: TENS is a valuable treatment to alleviate postoperative pain and improve pulmonary functions (ie, VC, CPF) in patients following abdominal surgery.

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