[Effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on venous thrombosis after lung cancer surgery: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on venous thrombosis and quality of life after lung cancer surgery, basing on the conventional nursing and early functional exercise. METHODS: A total of 120 patients diagnosed as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and received radical resection of lung cancer surgery for the first time were randomized into a conventional nursing group, a rehabilitation training group and a TEAS group, 40 cases in each group. Conventional nursing was adopted in the conventional nursing group. Conventional nursing combined with early functional exercise were adopted in the rehabilitation training group, the exercise was taken 20 min each time, once in both morning and afternoon for 5 days. On the basis of the treatment in the rehabilitation training group, TEAS was applied at Zusanli (ST 36), Xuehai (SP 10), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), etc. in the TEAS group, with disperse-dense wave in frequency of 30 Hz/100 Hz and tolerable intensity, 30 min each time, once in both morning and afternoon for 5 days. The incidence of venous thrombosis in each group was observed at the 5th day after surgery. Before surgery and at the 5th day after surgery, the Caprini thrombus risk assessment was performed, the Karnofsky performance status (KPS) scale and the functional assessment of cancer therapy-lung (FACT-L) were used to evaluate the quality of life. RESULTS: At the 5th day after surgery, no thrombosis was found in the TEAS group, the incidence of venous thrombosis in the TEAS group was lower than 15.0% (6/40) in the conventional nursing group (P<0.05). At the 5th day after surgery, the Caprini scores were increased in the 3 groups (P<0.01), while that in the TEAS group was lower than the conventional nursing group (P<0.05); the KPS scores were decreased in the 3 groups (P<0.01), while those in the TEAS group and the rehabilitation training group were higher than the conventional nursing group (P<0.01, P<0.05); the total scores and the subitem scores of FACT-L were decreased in the 3 groups (P<0.05), while the total score of FACT-L and the subitem score of lung cancer specificity in the TEAS group were higher than those in the conventional nursing group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: On the basis of the conventional nursing and early functional exercise, TEAS can reduce the incidence of venous thrombosis, effectively prevent thrombosis and improve quality of life.

Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Efficacy of Simo Decoction and Acupuncture or Chewing Gum Alone on Postoperative Ileus in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Hepatectomy.

To compare the efficacy of simo decoction (SMD) combined with acupuncture at the tsusanli acupoint or chewing gum alone for treating postoperative ileus in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after hepatectomy.In postoperative ileus, a frequent complication following hepatectomy, bowel function recovery is delayed, which increases length of hospital stay. Studies suggest that chewing gum may reduce postoperative ileus; SMD and acupuncture at the tsusanli acupoint have long been used in China to promote bowel movement.Patients with primary HCC undergoing hepatectomy between January 2015 and August 2015 were randomized to receive SMD and acupuncture (n = 55) or chewing gum (n = 53) or no intervention (n = 54) starting on postoperative day 1 and continuing for 6 consecutive days or until flatus. Primary endpoints were occurrence of postoperative ileus and length of hospital stay; secondary endpoints were surgical complications.Groups treated with SMD and acupuncture or with chewing gum experienced significantly shorter time to first peristalsis, flatus, and defecation than the no-intervention group (all P < 0.05). Hospital stay was significantly shorter in the combined SMD and acupuncture group (mean 14.0 d, SD 4.9) than in the no-intervention group (mean 16.5 d, SD 6.8; P = 0.014), while length of stay was similar between the chewing gum group (mean 14.7, SD 6.2) and the no-intervention group (P = 0.147). Incidence of grades I and II complications was slightly lower in both intervention groups than in the no-intervention group.The combination of SMD and acupuncture may reduce incidence of postoperative ileus and shorten hospital stay in HCC patients after hepatectomy. Chewing gum may also reduce incidence of ileus but does not appear to affect hospital stay. (Clinicaltrials.gov registration number: NCT02438436.).