<![CDATA[Pain is a common problem experienced by patients following laparotomy surgery due to tissue trauma and inflammatory responses, which may lead to various physiological complications, including changes in blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, decreased oxygen saturation, urinary retention, and abdominal distension. This study aimed to analyze the effect of the Audio-Tactile Synchronization (ATS) technique on pain intensity and postoperative complications among laparotomy patients at Setio Husodo General Hospital, Kisaran. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group design. The sample consisted of 114 respondents, including 57 respondents in the intervention group and 57 respondents in the control group. The participants underwent laparotomy procedures, comprising 20 post-operative Cesarean section (Sectio Caesarea) patients, 15 post-operative appendectomy patients, and 19 post-operative hernia surgery patients, selected using purposive sampling. Pain intensity was measured using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), while postoperative complications were assessed based on blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, urinary retention, and abdominal distension. The study demonstrated a significant reduction in pain intensity and postoperative complication scores in both the intervention and control groups (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the Mann–Whitney U test showed that the mean rank of postoperative complications was 55.50 in the intervention group and 59.50 in the control group. The analysis yielded a Mann–Whitney U value of 1510.500, Z = −1.074, and a p-value of 0.283 (p > 0.05), indicating no statistically significant difference between the two groups. However, the intervention group demonstrated a more favorable clinical improvement than the control group. A total of 20 participants withdrew due to intolerable pain requiring analgesics. Conclusion: The effectiveness of ATS is presumed to result from the integration of auditory stimulation and rhythmic tactile touch, which diverts patients’ attention away from pain (cognitive distraction), activates A-beta nerve fibers in accordance with the Gate Control Theory, and enhances relaxation responses, thereby reducing sympathetic nervous system activation. Therefore, ATS is effective in reducing pain and accelerating the improvement of postoperative complications in patients undergoing laparotomy surgery.]]>
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