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Personalized checkpoint acupuncture can reduce postoperative pain after abdominal surgery-a STRICTA-conform pilot
Erfan Ghanad1, Cui Yang1, Christel Weiß2
1Department of Surgery, University Medicine Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.
Langenbeck'S Archives of Surgery
|October 9, 2023
Summary
Checkpoint acupuncture significantly reduced postoperative pain by 86% and increased pain threshold by 64%. This personalized approach shows promise for enhancing recovery after surgery (ERAS) pain management.
Area of Science:
- Integrative Medicine
- Pain Management
- Surgical Recovery
Background:
- Optimal pain management is crucial for Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols but remains challenging.
- Acupuncture (AC) is recognized for its efficacy in treating diverse pain conditions.
- Personalized acupoint selection may be key to maximizing AC's effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate a personalized acupuncture (AC) method for postoperative pain management.
- To assess the efficacy of checkpoint acupuncture (AC) based on gastrointestinal (GI) pressure sensitivity.
- To evaluate AC's impact on subjective pain, pain threshold, and skin temperature.
Main Methods:
- Developed a method to identify personalized pain patterns and acupoints using six GI checkpoints (G1-G6).
- Administered a single AC treatment using semi-permanent needles.
- Measured visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, pressure algometry (PA) for pain threshold, and skin temperature pre- and post-treatment.
Main Results:
- A mean 86% reduction in subjective pain (VAS) and a 64% increase in pain threshold (PA) were observed.
- A slight but significant increase in abdominal skin temperature was noted post-AC.
- The observed analgesic effects were consistent regardless of the type of surgery.
Conclusions:
- Checkpoint acupuncture demonstrates potential as an adjunctive therapy for postoperative pain.
- Further research is warranted to fully elucidate the analgesic mechanisms and clinical utility of checkpoint acupuncture.
