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Journal of Anesthesia
Published in: Journal of Anesthesia 1/2017

01-02-2017 | Original Article

Effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation at different frequencies on perioperative anesthetic dosage, recovery, complications, and prognosis in video-assisted thoracic surgical lobectomy: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial

Authors: Shun Huang, WenPing Peng, Xue Tian, Hansheng Liang, Zhe Jia, Theresa Lo, Miao He, Yi Feng

Published in: Journal of Anesthesia | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS), a non-invasive and non-pharmacological adjunctive intervention for perioperative analgesia, may also reduce the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications. The effect of TEAS on video-assisted thoracic surgical (VATS) patients is still unknown, however. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of TEAS of different frequency on perioperative anesthetic dosage, recovery, complications, and prognosis for patients undergoing VATS lobectomy.

Methods

Eighty VATS lobectomy patients with no previous experience of TEAS or acupuncture were randomly assigned to four groups: control (con), 2/100, 2, and 100 Hz. The last three experimental groups received TEAS at the indicated frequencies for 30 min before induction, during the operation, and for another 30 min 24 and 48 h after surgery. 2/100 Hz is a type of alternating frequency which goes between 2 and 100 Hz every 3 s. TEAS was administered over acupoints Neiguan, Hegu, Lieque, and Quchi on the sick lateral. Electrodes were applied to the patients in the control group, but no TEAS was used. Anesthetic dosage, blood gas analysis results, lung function indexes FEV1 and FVC, post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) status, postoperative complications, and quality of life scores were recorded and analyzed statistically.

Results

Intraoperative opioid consumption was lowest in the 2/100 Hz group, with statistical significance (con, P ≤ 0.001; 2 Hz, P ≤ 0.001; 100 Hz, P = 0.026). Compared with preoperative FEV1 and FVC, postoperative FEV1 and FVC were significantly lower in all groups; during one-lung ventilation, arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) decreased more slowly in the 2/100 Hz group than in the con group (P = 0.042). Moreover, in the 2/100 Hz group extubation time was shorter (P = 0.038), visual analgesia scale score lower (P = 0.047), and duration of PACU stay shorter (P = 0.043) than in the con group. In the 100 Hz group incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) was lower than the con group (P = 0.044). In all groups mean postoperative physical component scores were significantly lower than mean preoperative scores.

Conclusions

TEAS is a safe noninvasive adjunctive intervention for anesthesia management among patients undergoing VATS lobectomy. TEAS at 2/100 Hz can reduce intraoperative opioid dosage and slow the decrease of PaO2 during one-lung ventilation. It can also effectively reduce pain score, extubation time, and PACU stay immediately after surgery. Further, 100 Hz TEAS can reduce PONV morbidity.
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Metadata
Title
Effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation at different frequencies on perioperative anesthetic dosage, recovery, complications, and prognosis in video-assisted thoracic surgical lobectomy: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial
Authors
Shun Huang
WenPing Peng
Xue Tian
Hansheng Liang
Zhe Jia
Theresa Lo
Miao He
Yi Feng
Publication date
01-02-2017
Publisher
Springer Japan
Published in
Journal of Anesthesia / Issue 1/2017
Print ISSN: 0913-8668
Electronic ISSN: 1438-8359
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00540-015-2057-1

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