Description The acupoints Zusanli, Sanyinjiao, Hegu, and Zhigou were used.
Experimental Description
We performed a prospective study of 165 patients undergoing elective laparoscopic surgery for colonic and upper rectal cancer, enrolled from October 2008 to October 2010. Patients were assigned randomly to groups that received electroacupuncture (n = 55) or sham acupuncture (n = 55), once daily from postoperative days 1–4, or no acupuncture (n = 55). The acupoints Zusanli, Sanyinjiao, Hegu, and Zhigou were used.
Sample Count
165
Age
>18
Control
Sham
Blank
no acupuncture group(n=55);sham acupuncture group(n=55)
Experiment
electroacupuncture group(n=55)
Indicator
Time of first defecationTime of first flatusTime that the patients tolerated a solid dietTime to walk independentlyDuration of hospital stayPostoperative pain scoresPostoperative analgesic requirement
Auxiliary Medication
Pethidine 1 mg/kg as postoperative analgesia was given every 4 hours on demand.hidine
Description Sterile acupuncture needles (length, 25 mm; diameter, 0.22 mm; Hwato; Suzhou Medical Appliance Factory, Suzhou, China) were inserted into these acupoints, with a depth of insertion of about 20 mm. The achievement of a radiating sensation with paresthesia, which is known as de qi, was indicative of effective needling. Electric stimulation was used in the EA group with the ES-160 6-channel programmable electroacupuncture device (Ito Company, Ltd, Tokyo, Japan). The frequency of the electric stimulation was set at 100 Hz, which has been shown by previous studies to be effective in enhancing the analgesic effect of acupuncture. Each session of electroacupuncture lasted for 20 minutes.
Anesthesia Method
GA
Clinical Trial Type
prospective,randomly
Adverse Effects
No adverse event related to the use of acupuncture was reported.
Contraindications
Those with a cardiac pacemaker, those who were allergic to acupuncture needles
Effector
Patients who received electroacupuncture had a shorter time to defecation than patients who received no acupuncture (85.9 ± 36.1 vs 122.1 ± 53.5 h; P < .001) and length of hospital stay (6.5 ± 2.2 vs 8.5 ± 4.8 days; P = .007). Patients who received electroacupuncture also had a shorter time to defecation than patients who received sham acupuncture (85.9 ± 36.1 vs 107.5 ± 46.2 h; P = .007). Electroacupuncture was more effective than no or sham acupuncture in reducing postoperative analgesic requirement and time to ambulation. In multiple linear regression analysis, an absence of complications and electroacupuncture were associated with a shorter duration of postoperative ileus and hospital stay after the surgery.
Electroacupuncture reduces duration of postoperative ileus after laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer.
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS: We investigated the efficacy of electroacupuncture in reducing the duration of postoperative ileus and hospital stay after laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer. METHODS: We performed a prospective study of 165 patients undergoing elective laparoscopic surgery for colonic and upper rectal cancer, enrolled from October 2008 to October 2010. Patients were assigned randomly to groups that received electroacupuncture (n = 55) or sham acupuncture (n = 55), once daily from postoperative days 1-4, or no acupuncture (n = 55). The acupoints Zusanli, Sanyinjiao, Hegu, and Zhigou were used. The primary outcome was time to defecation. Secondary outcomes included postoperative analgesic requirement, time to ambulation, and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: Patients who received electroacupuncture had a shorter time to defecation than patients who received no acupuncture (85.9 +/- 36.1 vs 122.1 +/- 53.5 h; P < .001) and length of hospital stay (6.5 +/- 2.2 vs 8.5 +/- 4.8 days; P = .007). Patients who received electroacupuncture also had a shorter time to defecation than patients who received sham acupuncture (85.9 +/- 36.1 vs 107.5 +/- 46.2 h; P = .007). Electroacupuncture was more effective than no or sham acupuncture in reducing postoperative analgesic requirement and time to ambulation. In multiple linear regression analysis, an absence of complications and electroacupuncture were associated with a shorter duration of postoperative ileus and hospital stay after the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In a clinical trial, electroacupuncture reduced the duration of postoperative ileus, time to ambulation, and postoperative analgesic requirement, compared with no or sham acupuncture, after laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer. ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00464425."
Souce
Gastroenterology. 2013 Feb;144(2):307-313.e1. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2012.10.050. Epub 2012 Nov 6.