Research & Publications

My research has developed from a broad clinical background in anaesthesia, obstetrics, paediatrics and pain management, with an increasing focus on a central question:

How does communication influence patient experience and clinical care?

Rather than reproduce an exhaustive bibliography here, these selected publications illustrate the development of clinical hypnosis, nocebo, informed consent, pain, paediatric care, obstetric practice and evidence synthesis.

Books

Cyna AM, Andrew MI, Tan SGM, Smith AF (Eds). Handbook of Communication in Anaesthesia and Critical Care. Oxford University Press, 2010.

Cyna AM, Tan SGM, Andrew MI, Burgoyne LLB, Simmons SW (Eds). Handbook of Communication in Anaesthesia and Critical Care, 2nd ed. Oxford University Press, 2024.

Clinical hypnosis & communication

• Slater P, Van-Manen A, Cyna AM. Clinical hypnosis and the anaesthetist: a practical approach. BJA Education. 2024;24:121–128.
• Cyna AM, Hewson DW, Hardman JG. Clinical hypnosis: implications in anaesthesia and perioperative care. Br J Anaesth. 2023;130:647–650.
• Cyna AM. The LAURS of Hypnotic Communication and the “Lived in Imagination” Technique in Medical Practice. Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2019;67:247–261.

Nocebo & language

• Guscoth LB, Cyna AM. Nocebo language in anaesthetic patient written information. Anaesthesia. 2022;77:1113–1119.
• Arrow K, Burgoyne LL, Cyna AM. Implications of nocebo in anaesthesia care. Anaesthesia. 2022;77 Suppl 1:11–20.
• Huynh KN et al. Unheard and unseen: The hidden impact of nocebo communication in the Intensive Care Unit. J Intensive Care Soc. 2024;25:128–130.
• Cyna AM. Little words BIG impact: Perioperative communication for children with burns. Anaesth Intensive Care. 2020;48:123–128.

Ethics & informed consent

• Cyna AM, Simmons SW. Guidelines on informed consent in anaesthesia: unrealistic, unethical, untenable… Br J Anaesth. 2017;119:1086–1089.
• Simmons S, Cyna AM. ‘Medicolegal’ or ‘patient-centred’ consent? Anaesthesia. 2017;72:917–918.
• Trumble J et al. Consent for labour epidural analgesia: an observational study. Anaesth Intensive Care. 2015;43:323–327.

Needle phobia & paediatric care

• Cyna AM et al. Brief hypnosis for severe needle phobia using switch-wire imagery in a 5-year-old. Paediatr Anaesth. 2007.
• Perry C, Samuelsson C, Cyna AM. Preanesthetic nurse communication with children and parents. Paediatr Anaesth. 2015;25:1235–1240.
• Carlyle AV, Ching PC, Cyna AM. Communication during induction of paediatric anaesthesia. Anaesth Intensive Care. 2008;36:180–184.

Pregnancy & childbirth

• Cyna AM et al. Hypnosis antenatal training for childbirth: a randomised controlled trial. BJOG. 2013;120:1248–1259.
• Madden K et al. Hypnosis for pain management during labour and childbirth. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012.
• Cyna AM, McAuliffe GL, Andrew MI. Hypnosis for pain relief in labour and childbirth: a systematic review. Br J Anaesth. 2004;93:505–511.
• Alexander B, Turnbull D, Cyna AM. The effect of pregnancy on hypnotizability. Am J Clin Hypn. 2009;52:13–22.

Pain, comfort & patient experience

• Miu MW, Martin A, Cyna AM. Postoperative pain and comfort scores: Do they correlate? Anaesth Intensive Care. 2019;47:435–441.
• Chooi CS et al. Pain vs comfort scores after Caesarean section: a randomized trial. Br J Anaesth. 2013;110:780–787.
• Chooi CS et al. The effects of positive or negative words when assessing postoperative pain. Anaesth Intensive Care. 2011;39:101–106.

The complete publication record includes books, chapters, original research, invited editorials, clinical reports, systematic reviews and Cochrane reviews extending from 1987 onward.