title: Electroacupuncture reduces duration of postoperative ileus after laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the efficacy of electroacupuncture in reducing the duration of postoperative ileus and hospital stay after laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a prospective study of 165 patients undergoing elective laparoscopic surgery for colonic and upper rectal cancer, enrolled from October 2008 to October 2010. Patients were assigned randomly to groups that received electroacupuncture (n = 55) or sham acupuncture (n = 55), once daily from postoperative days 1-4, or no acupuncture (n = 55). The acupoints Zusanli, Sanyinjiao, Hegu, and Zhigou were used. The primary outcome was time to defecation. Secondary outcomes included postoperative analgesic requirement, time to ambulation, and length of hospital stay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients who received electroacupuncture had a shorter time to defecation than patients who received no acupuncture (85.9 ± 36.1 vs 122.1 ± 53.5 h; P < .001) and length of hospital stay (6.5 ± 2.2 vs 8.5 ± 4.8 days; P = .007). Patients who received electroacupuncture also had a shorter time to defecation than patients who received sham acupuncture (85.9 ± 36.1 vs 107.5 ± 46.2 h; P = .007). Electroacupuncture was more effective than no or sham acupuncture in reducing postoperative analgesic requirement and time to ambulation. In multiple linear regression analysis, an absence of complications and electroacupuncture were associated with a shorter duration of postoperative ileus and hospital stay after the surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a clinical trial, electroacupuncture reduced the duration of postoperative ileus, time to ambulation, and postoperative analgesic requirement, compared with no or sham acupuncture, after laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer. ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00464425.
authors.affiliation: Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR. Electronic address: simonng@surgery.cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Simon S M
authors.initials: SSM
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Wing Wa
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Tony W C
authors.initials: TWC
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.affiliation: Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Sophie S F
authors.initials: SSF
authors.lastname: Hon
authors.affiliation: Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Jimmy C M
authors.initials: JCM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Cherry Y N
authors.initials: CYN
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Kelvin K F
authors.initials: KKF
authors.lastname: Tsoi
authors.affiliation: Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Janet F Y
authors.initials: JFY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003082:Colectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D003112:Colonic Pseudo-Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D003672:Defecation; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000639:trends; D008297:Male; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome