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Acupuncture accelerates recovery after general anesthesia: a prospective randomized controlled trial
Marco Gemma1, Elisa Nicelli1, Luigi Gioia1
1Department of Anesthesia and Neurointensive Care, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy.
Journal of Integrative Medicine
|March 24, 2015
Summary
Acupuncture on the DU26 and KI1 acupoints significantly speeds up recovery of consciousness after general anesthesia. Combining these points may offer synergistic benefits for faster patient recovery.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Integrative Medicine
- Acupuncture Research
Background:
- Acupuncture anesthesia, developed in China in the 1950s, is widely used for major surgeries due to its economic and practical benefits.
- It is associated with reduced intraoperative bleeding and faster postoperative recovery.
- Its application in complex surgeries like brain, heart, and abdominal procedures highlights its efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effects of two acupoints, Yongquan (KI1) and Renzhong (DU26), against sham acupuncture and no acupuncture.
- To evaluate the impact on the time to recovery of consciousness after general anesthesia.
- To utilize the Bispectral Index (BIS) monitor for objective measurement of consciousness recovery.
Main Methods:
- A prospective randomized controlled study involving 50 patients recovering from surgical anesthesia.
- Patients were divided into five groups: acupuncture on KI1, DU26, both KI1 and DU26, sham points, or no acupuncture.
- Key outcome measures included Bispectral Index (BIS) values, time to spontaneous eye opening, tracheal extubation, and following commands.
Main Results:
- Significant differences were observed in the time to spontaneous eye opening, tracheal extubation, and following commands among the groups.
- Bispectral Index (BIS) values showed significant differences at 5 and 10 minutes post-anesthesia, with the combined KI1 and DU26 group exhibiting higher values.
- The sham acupuncture and no acupuncture groups had lower BIS values compared to the active acupuncture groups.
Conclusions:
- Acupuncture stimulation at DU26 and KI1 acupoints demonstrably accelerates the recovery of consciousness following general anesthesia.
- A potential synergistic effect between the DU26 and KI1 acupoints is suggested, warranting further investigation.
- These findings may contribute to optimizing operating room management and exploring acupuncture's role in various states of unconsciousness.
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