The hypnotic way Hypnosis is now widely used in medical procedures, particularly to help reduce and control pain. At the Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc Hospital in Brussels, a surgeon prepares a patient for her thyroid procedure while anesthesiologist Dr. Fabienne Roelants hypnotizes the patient. One-third of all thyroid-removal surgeries and one-quarter of all breast cancer surgeries at the hospital are conducted using a combination of hypnosis and a local anesthetic rather than general anesthesia.