Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation (TEAS) Facilitates Postoperative Recovery in Day Lung Cancer Surgery:...

Area of Science:

• Pain Management
• Surgical Recovery
• Non-invasive Therapies

Background:

• Day thoracic surgery necessitates effective pain relief and swift recovery.
• This study investigated the efficacy of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation (TEAS) for managing postoperative pain and reducing analgesic requirements in lung cancer surgery.

Observation:

• A randomized, sham-controlled trial involved 100 patients undergoing day lung cancer surgery.
• Participants received either active TEAS or sham stimulation in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit.
• Pain intensity was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) at 1, 12, and 24 hours post-surgery.

Findings:

• The TEAS group exhibited significantly lower VAS pain scores at all measured time points (1, 12, and 24 hours) compared to the sham group.
• Moderate-to-severe pain incidence within 12 hours was substantially reduced in the TEAS group (12.0% vs 74.0%).
• TEAS led to decreased analgesic consumption and higher Quality of Recovery (QoR-15) scores at 24 hours.

Implications:

• TEAS is an effective method for reducing postoperative pain and analgesic use in lung cancer surgery.
• The findings support the integration of TEAS into Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols.
• TEAS offers a promising non-pharmacological approach to improve patient outcomes following thoracic procedures.