title: Electro-acupuncture and postoperative emesis.
abstract: One hundred unpremedicated female patients of ASA grade 1 or 2 who underwent laparoscopy as outpatients were allocated randomly to one of four groups. All patients received general anaesthesia with fentanyl, thiopentone, halothane, nitrous oxide and oxygen; suxamethonium was given to facilitate tracheal intubation. In the recovery room, group 1 (control) received no treatment; group 2 received electro-acupuncture at the P6 point (Neiguan) on the right side for 15 minutes, group 3 received transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation at the P6 point on the right side for 15 minutes and group 4 received prochlorperazine 5 mg intravenously. Any act of vomiting, including dry retching, during the first 3 postoperative hours was regarded as postoperative emesis. The incidence of postoperative emesis was 11/25 (44%) in group 1, 3/25 (12%, p less than 0.05) in group 2, 9/25 (36%) in group 3, and 3/25 (12%, p less than 0.05) in group 4. Our results suggest that electro-acupuncture is as effective as prochlorperazine, and may be better than transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, in reducing postoperative emesis.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors: R T
authors: RT
authors: Ho
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Jawan
authors: S T
authors: ST
authors: Fung
authors: H K
authors: HK
authors: Cheung
authors: J H
authors: JH
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011346:Prochlorperazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011897:Random Allocation; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; D014839:Vomiting / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D011346:Prochlorperazine