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Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction following
Linhong Wang1,2, Guanhua Qiu1,2, Yuqi Li1,2
1Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Introduction:
The incidence of urinary tract tumours is increasing annually, and laparoscopic surgery is currently the predominant surgical method employed in clinical practice. Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction (POGD) is one of the most prevalent adverse events associated with patients who receive laparoscopic surgery. Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) may be an effective treatment for POGD. This study intends to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TEAS for POGD following urological laparoscopic surgery.
Methods:
This is a prospective, single-centre, randomised controlled trial. A total of 112 urological patients will be randomly assigned to either the TEAS group or the sham TEAS group at a ratio of 1:1. Each group of patients received a total of two treatments, one prior to surgery and one in the post-anaesthesia recovery room (PACU) after surgery, with each treatment lasting 30 min. The intervention group received TEAS treatment at bilateral Neiguan (PC6), Zusanli (ST36) and Ciliao (BL32) acupoints. Once patients achieved an effective sensation of 'deqi' at these points, the TEAS intensity was adjusted to the maximum tolerable level and maintained for 30 min. The primary outcome will be the score of intake, feeling nauseated, emesis, physical exam and duration of symptoms (I-FEED) on the day 3 postoperatively. The secondary outcomes will include the time of first postoperative flatus and defecation, 5 days postoperative Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and the Quality of Recovery Scale (QoR-15), and preoperative 1-day and postoperative 5-day measurements of platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), acetylcholine (Ach), norepinephrine (NE) concentration levels, motilin (MTL), and microRNA-10b-5p (miR-10b-5p) concentration levels. The safety of transcutaneous acupoint electrical stimulation will also be evaluated.
Ethics And Dissemination:
This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the First affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University. The results of the study will be disseminated through a variety of channels, including peer-reviewed open-access publications, scientific conferences and targeted communications with patient organisations, healthcare providers and the broader public.
Trial Registration Number:
NCT07133620.