[Clinical observation of gastrointestinal dysfunction after vascular surgery prevented by electroacupuncture]

To evaluate the preventative efficacy of preoperative electroacupuncture(EA) for gastrointestinal dysfunction after vascular surgery.

Sixty patients with the same general anesthesia before vascular surgery were randomly assigned to an observation group and a control group,30 cases in each one. In the observation group,acupuncture was used at bilateral Neiguan(PC 6),Zusanli(ST 36) and Shangjuxu(ST 37) in the forenoon and afternoon one day before surgery,with EA(continuous wave,15 Hz) at Zusanli(ST 36) and Shangjuxu(ST 37) for 20 min. The abdominal distension rate and degree as well as the length of stay in hospital after surgery were recorded.

There was no statistic difference about the rate of abdominal distension between the two groups[16.7%(5/30) vs 36.7%(11/30),P>0.05)],but it was lighter in the observation group 72 hours after surgery(P<0.05). The length of stay in hospital in the observation group was shorter than that in the control group[(5.33±1.30) d vs (7.33±1.71) d,P<0.05].

Acupuncture at Neiguan(PC 6),Zusanli(ST 36) and Shangjuxu(ST 37) one day before surgery can improve gastrointestinal function after vascular surgery with general anesthesia,and it has some efficacy as to shorting the length of stay in hospital.