Detail information
ID ENCL000088
Year 2011
Surgery Open Heart Surgery
Acupoint
Acupoint Code
Ximen PC4
Zhongfu LU1
Lieque LU7
Side bilaterally
Description acupuncture needles were inserted into the bilateral points ZhongFu, LieQue, and XiMen.
Experimental Description From July 2006 to October 2010, CAMA was applied in 100 patients undergoing open heart surgery in comparison with another 100 patients under the conventional general anesthesia (GA).
Sample Count 200
Age 14-74
Control
Std
general anesthesia(GA)(n=100)
Experiment acupuncture–medicine anesthesia(CAMA)(n=100)
Indicator Operation time Narcotic drugs (fentanyl) dose Aortic clamping time Blood transfusion Postoperative drainage volume Cerebral air embolism Vocal cord injury Pulmonary infection Postoperative tracheal intubation time First time off bed First time eating Antibiotics use time ICU stay time Postoperative hospital stay Total medical costs
Auxiliary Medication All the patients received intramuscular injections of morphine (1 mg/kg) at the beginning of anesthesia induction. Before skin incision, fentanyl 0.1 mg and midazolam 2 mg were injected intravenously. In addition, local subcutaneous anesthe- sia with lidocaine 20-30 ml of 0.25% was used immediately before median sternotomy. During the operation, additional doses of fentanyl and midazolam were given whenever necessary especially during sternal closure.
Stimulation Method EA
Induction Method
Electroacupuncture Instrument Model Manufacturer Frequency Waveform Strength Induction Time
- Shanghai High-Tech Medical Equipment Company, Shanghai, China 200 times/min,3-4 Hz - according to the tolerance of the patient 20-30 min. The acupuncture stimulation was suspended when cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was started, and restarted as the CPB pump flow was down to 1.5 L/min. On sternal closure, the frequency and intensity of electrical stimulation were again increased to avoid any patient discomfort. The acupuncture needles were removed when the operation was completed.

Acupuncture_Needle Needle_Manufacturer Needle_Depth
- - -

Description After the patients attained Qi (气) from the twisting of the acupuncture needles, the proximal ends of the needles were connected to an electrical stimulator apparatus (Shanghai High-Tech Medical Equipment Company, Shanghai, China). This apparatus could export an instant electrical vibrating stimulation (frequency 200 times/min, magnitude 3–4 Hz) and the output intensity was adjustable according to the tolerance of the patient. The induction time was around 20–30 min.
Anesthesia Method
AAA
Clinical Trial Type random
Adverse Effects There were no acupuncture-related side-effects.
Effector Compared with the GA patients, the CAMA patients had a less usage of narcotic drugs (p<0.001), less postoperative pulmonary infection (p<0.05), shorter stay in intensive care unit (p<0.05), and a lower medical cost (P<0.05).A combined acupuncture–medicine anesthesia strategy reduces the postoperative morbidity and medical costs in patients undergoing open heart surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass.
Positive
Literature
PMID 21570137
Title Acupuncture anesthesia for open heart surgery in contemporary China.
Abstract BACKGROUND: Although the use of acupuncture anesthesia for open heart surgery, which was introduced in China four decades ago, has declined in recent years, there is a renewed interest in it in contemporary China due to the escalating medical costs associated with open heart surgery. This study was aimed to determine whether a combined acupuncture-medicine anesthesia (CAMA) strategy reduces early postoperative morbidity and medical costs in patients undergoing open heart operation under cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: From July 2006 to October 2010, CAMA was applied in 100 patients undergoing open heart surgery in comparison with another 100 patients under the conventional general anesthesia (GA). For all the CAMA patients, an abdominal breathing training program was practiced for the 3 consecutive days prior to operation. About 15 to 20 min prior to surgical incision, acupuncture needles were inserted into the bilateral points ZhongFu, LieQue, and XiMen. During operation, patients were kept on spontaneous breathing. Endotracheal intubation was not employed but only prepared as a standby. The narcotic drugs, fentanyl and midazolam, were intravenously injected but in very low doses as compared to GA. Open heart procedures were performed routinely in both groups. RESULTS: Compared with the GA patients, the CAMA patients had a less usage of narcotic drugs (p<0.001), less postoperative pulmonary infection (p<0.05), shorter stay in intensive care unit (p<0.05), and a lower medical cost (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A combined acupuncture-medicine anesthesia strategy reduces the postoperative morbidity and medical costs in patients undergoing open heart surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass."
Souce Int J Cardiol. 2011 Jul 1;150(1):12-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2011.04.002. Epub 2011 May 12.