Application value of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation in improving knee joint function after knee arthroplasty in elderly patients.

AIM: To evaluate the effects of adjunctive transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) within an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway on recovery, knee function, and complications in elderly patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary hospital between January 2023 and May 2025, enrolling 182 elderly patients (aged 60-80 years) who underwent primary unilateral TKA. Based on perioperative TEAS use, patients were categorized into an TEAS group (n=91, receiving standardized ERAS plus daily TEAS from preoperative day 1 until discharge) and a conventional group (n=91, receiving ERAS alone). Statistical analyses included t-tests, chi-square tests, repeated-measures ANOVA, and logistic regression, were all performed using SPSS 26.0.

RESULTS

The TEAS group had a significantly shorter hospital stay (6.22±0.80 vs 6.97±1.21 days, P<0.001) and a lower Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index score at discharge (48.38±5.94 vs 50.79±6.52, P=0.010). Postoperative Visual Analogue Scale scores for pain were lower in the TEAS group, as were inflammatory markers. The overall complication rate was significantly lower in the TEAS group (16.5% vs 30.8%, P=0.023). Patient satisfaction was higher in the TEAS group, with a greater proportion reporting "very satisfied" (45.05% vs 31.87%, P=0.042). Multivariate analysis identified TEAS as an independent protective factor against complications (OR=0.120, 95% CI: 0.039-0.366, P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Adjuvant TEAS within an ERAS pathway enhances recovery, improves knee function, reduces complications, and increases satisfaction in elderly TKA patients, supporting its integration into perioperative care.