Electro-acupuncture modification of halothane anaesthesia in the dog

The effects of electro-acupuncture on minimum alveolar anaesthetic concentration (MAC) was studied during halothane anaesthesia in the dog. Following induction of anaesthesia, MAC was determined in duplicate. Ten dogs then received electro-acupuncture bilaterally at San Yin Chiao for 30 minutes. MAC was determined in duplicate while electro-acupuncture was continued. Electro-acupuncture significantly lowered MAC from 1.2 per cent to 1.0 per cent (p less than 0.01). A crossover experimental design was used in an additional eleven dogs. Here MAC was lowered from 1.17 per cent to 1.04 per cent (p less than 0.05). Electro-acupuncture produces a small but statistically significant reduction in halothane MAC.