[Electroacupuncture Treatment Conduced Before and After Surgery Is Better in Promoting Reco-very of Gastrointestinal Function in Colorectal Cancer Patients Undergoing Radical Resection].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at different time-points on postoperative gastrointestinal function in patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery.

METHODS

Eighty patients with colorectal cancer undergoing laparotomy were randomly assigned to intravenous anesthesia, EA A, EA B, and EA C groups (n＝20 cases in each group). All the patients in the four groups received intravenous anesthesia with midazolam, sufentanil, cisatracurium besylate and Propofol, postoperative gastrointestinal decompression and drug analgesia. EA (2－3 mA, 2 Hz) was applied to Zhongwan (CV 12) and Tianshu (ST 25), Neiguan (PC 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37), Xiajuxu (ST 39) on the right side for 30 min, once (one day before surgery) in the EA A group, twice (one day and 30 min before surgery) in the EA B group, and 3 times (one day, 30 min before and one day after surgery) in the EA C group. The acupoints used after surgery were PC 6, ST 36, ST 37 and ST 39. The time of postoperative ventilation, defecation, food-intake and water drinking, stomach tube removal and abdominal drainage tube removal, the volumes of stomach tube drainage and abdominal drainage, and postoperative adverse reactions were recorded.

RESULTS

The first ventilation time, after surgery in the EA C group was significantly earlier than those in the intravenous anesthesia, EA A and EA B groups (P<0.05); and the water intake and abdomicnal drainage tube removal time after surgery in the EA C group were significantly earlier than those in the intravenous anesthesia group (P<0.05). No significant differences were found among the 4 groups in the time of defecation, food intake, stomach tube removal, stomach tube drainage and abdominal drainage volumes, and numbers of patients with nausea, vomiting, fever and other adverse reactions (P>0.05)．.

CONCLUSION

EA treatment combined with intravenous anesthesia conducted before and after surgery is effective in promoting the recovery of gastrointestinal function in patients undergoing colorectal cancer laparotomy, and is obviously better than simple pre-operative EA.