Electroacupoint stimulation for postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy.

Abstract

OBJECTS:

We evaluated the effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) at the P6 acupoint for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy.

METHODS:

The study population was patients aged 20 to 60 years who underwent supratentorial craniotomy under general anesthesia. Exclusion criteria were obesity, diabetes mellitus, and a history of motion sickness, postoperative nausea and vomiting, or smoking. Patients were randomized into 2 groups: stimulation and control. In the former, transcutaneous stimulation electrodes were placed at the right P6 acupoint. In controls, electrodes were positioned at a nonacupoint site. Patients received a standard general anesthesia. Ondansetron was given as a routine antiemetic treatment for each patient before skin closure. Postoperatively, metoclopramide (10 mg, i.v.) was administered as a rescue antiemetic.

RESULT:

Forty patients received TEAS and 40 were controls. In the TEAS group, 18% of patients had nausea compared with 37% of the controls. The cumulative prevalence of vomiting was 12.5% with acustimulation and 32.5% in controls (P<0.05). The prevalence of nausea, vomiting was significantly lower with TEAS at the P6 acupoint.

CONCLUSIONS:

TEAS at the P6 meridian points is an effective adjunct to standard antiemetic drug therapy for prevention of nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing supratentorial craniotomy.

• Authors: Xiao-Qiang Wang, Jie-Lu Yu, Zhuo-Ying Du, Rong Xu, Cheng-Chuan Jiang, Xiang Gao
• Journal: Journal of neurosurgical anesthesiology (J Neurosurg Anesthesiol) Vol. 22 Issue 2 Pg. 128-31 (Apr 2010) ISSN: 1537-1921 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 20308818 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Antiemetics
• Metoclopramide

Topics

• Acupuncture Points
• Adult
• Anesthesia, General
• Antiemetics (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Craniotomy
• Electroacupuncture (adverse effects)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Metoclopramide (therapeutic use)
• Middle Aged
• Neurosurgical Procedures
• Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting (drug therapy, therapy)
• Supratentorial Neoplasms (surgery)
• Young Adult