The Efficacy of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation as an Adjunct to Standard Bladder Training for Bladder...

After radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer, postoperative bladder dysfunction is common. This randomized controlled trial evaluated whether adjunctive transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) reduces urinary retention. A total of 108 patients were assigned to a control group (standard bladder training, n = 53) or a TEAS group (standard training plus daily 30 min TEAS for 7 days from postoperative day 3, n = 55). The primary outcome was urinary retention (post-void residual > 100 mL on day 11). Secondary outcomes included residual volume, recovery time, recatheterization, urinary tract infection (UTI), treatment efficacy, and quality of life (SF-36). Urinary retention occurred in 35.8% of controls versus 23.6% of TEAS patients (p = 0.164). TEAS significantly reduced median residual volume (70 vs. 85 mL, p = 0.004), shortened median recovery time (2 vs. 4 h, p < 0.001), and lowered recatheterization (16.4% vs. 34.0%, p = 0.036). UTI rates were similar. Treatment efficacy favored TEAS (p = 0.009), and all eight SF-36 domains significantly improved (all p < 0.01). In conclusion, adjunctive TEAS did not significantly reduce the primary outcome of urinary retention but significantly improved multiple secondary bladder-emptying measures and quality of life after radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer.