title: Acupressure improves the postoperative comfort of gastric cancer patients: A randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This pilot study evaluated whether acupressure affected the postoperative comfort of gastric cancer patients following a subtotal gastrectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomised controlled trial was conducted. Sixty patients were recruited from 141-bed general surgery ward at a 3000-bed medical centre in Northern Taiwan. Participants were randomly assigned to either a control group receiving regular postoperative care or to the experimental group receiving additional acupressure at acupoints of Neiquan (P6) and Zusanli (ST36) for 3 consecutive days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The similarities between two groups were in postoperative pain and the onset of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) at the baseline. Following acupressure, significant differences were found in postoperative pain (P=.03) and time of first flatus (P=.04); but not PONV (P=.49), nor the time of first defecation (P=.34).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupressure is a simple, noninvasive, safe, and economical procedure for improving the comfort of patients who undergo surgery for gastric cancer. Acupressure at the P6 and ST36 acupoints can improve postoperative comfort by alleviating pain and decreasing the time until first flatus. However, additional research is necessary to elucidate how acupressure can improve postoperative outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Wan-Ting
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Hsiung
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Fooyin University, Taiwan, ROC; National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yi-Chuan
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: meiling@ntunhs.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Mei-Ling
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: China Medical University and Hospital, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yung-Hsien
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D019050:Acupressure; D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D020250:Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Acupressure; Defecation; Flatus; Gastric cancer; Nausea; Pain; Postoperative comfort; Vomiting