Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation in adult patients receiving gastrectomy/colorectal resection: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND Acupuncture promotes the recovery of gastrointestinal function and provides analgesia after major abdominal surgery. The effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) remain unclear. AIM To explore the potential effects of TEAS on the recovery of gastrointestinal function after gastrectomy and colorectal resection. METHODS Patients scheduled for gastrectomy or colorectal resection were randomized at a 2:3:3:2 ratio to receive: (1) TEAS at maximum tolerable current for 30 min immediately prior to anesthesia induction and for the entire duration of surgery, plus two 30-min daily sessions for 3 consecutive days after surgery (perioperative TEAS group); (2) Preoperative and intraoperative TEAS only; (3) Preoperative and postoperative TEAS only; or (4) Sham stimulation. The primary outcome was the time from the end of surgery to the first bowel sound. RESULTS In total, 441 patients were randomized; 405 patients (58.4 +/- 10.2 years of age; 247 males) received the planned surgery. The time to the first bowel sounds did not differ among the four groups (P = 0.90; log-rank test). On postoperative day 1, the rest pain scores differed significantly among the four groups (P = 0.04; Kruskal-Wallis test). Post hoc comparison using the Bonferroni test showed lower pain scores in the perioperative TEAS group (1.4 +/- 1.2) than in the sham sti-mulation group (1.7 +/- 1.1; P = 0.04). Surgical complications did not differ among the four groups. CONCLUSION TEAS provided analgesic effects in adult patients undergoing major abdominal surgery, and it can be added to clinical practice as a means of accelerating postoperative rehabilitation of these patients.