Sedative effect of acupuncture during cataract surgery: prospective randomized double-blind study

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Ophthalmology
• Pain Management

Background:

• Cataract surgery, often performed under topical anesthesia, can induce significant patient anxiety.
• Managing perioperative anxiety is crucial for patient comfort and surgical outcomes.
• Non-pharmacological interventions like acupuncture are being explored for anxiety reduction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture in alleviating anxiety among patients undergoing cataract surgery.
• To compare true acupuncture with sham acupuncture and a no-acupuncture control group.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial was conducted with 75 patients undergoing cataract surgery.
• Patients were divided into three groups: true acupuncture, sham acupuncture, and no acupuncture.
• Anxiety levels were measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) before and after surgery.

Main Results:

• True acupuncture significantly reduced preoperative anxiety compared to both control groups (P = .001).
• Postoperative anxiety scores were significantly lower in the true acupuncture group (VAS 19 ± 3) compared to the no-acupuncture group (VAS 39 ± 5, P = .003).
• Sham acupuncture showed no significant anxiety reduction compared to the no-acupuncture group.

Conclusions:

• Acupuncture is an effective intervention for reducing anxiety associated with cataract surgery performed under topical anesthesia.
• The findings support the use of acupuncture as a complementary therapy to manage perioperative anxiety in ophthalmic procedures.
• True acupuncture demonstrated superior anxiolytic effects compared to sham acupuncture.