title: Electroacupuncture at ST36 accelerates the recovery of gastrointestinal motility after colorectal surgery: a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether electroacupuncture (EA) at ST36 can accelerate the recovery of gastrointestinal motility after colorectal surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status II and III undergoing elective open resection of malignant colorectal tumours were included in this study. Using a sealed envelope method, the patients were randomly divided into two groups either receiving EA (EA group) or sham EA (SEA group). Data regarding the recovery of bowel function (times to the first bowel sounds, passage of flatus and defaecation) were collected and analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the EA group, the time intervals from surgery to the first bowel movement and passage of flatus were shorter than in the SEA group (13±10 h vs 19±13 h, p<0.05 and 23±14 h vs 32±18 h, p<0.05, respectively). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding the time to first defaecation (68±45 h vs 72±53 h, p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA at ST36 accelerates the recovery of gastrointestinal motility after colorectal surgery.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  JJ22011-15.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Zhaodi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Changsong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Quanyi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Mingyue
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Haifang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Linlin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Guonian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000368:Aged; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D003107:Colorectal Surgery; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: GASTROENTEROLOGY)