Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation after thoracic surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 randomized trials.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) on pain and pulmonary function during the postoperative period after thoracic surgery by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.

Methods: The search strategy included MEDLINE, PEDro, Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE and LILACS, besides a manual search, from inception to August, 2011. Randomized trials were included, comparing TENS associated or not with pharmacological analgesia vs.