[Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation promotes general anesthesia recovery in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on the recovery of patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery under general anesthesia. METHODS: Sixty patients (ASA Ⅱ-Ⅲ) selected for scheduled gastrointestinal surgery were randomly divided into control group and TEAS group (n=30 cases per group). Patients in the two groups received general anesthesia, and those of the TEAS group also received TEAS for 30 min (8-12 mA) immediately after surgery. The changes of systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR) before anesthesia, before acupoint stimulation, before extubation, immediately after extubation, 10 and 30 min after extubation were recorded. The recovery time of spontaneous breathing, extubation time, VAS scores and Bruggman comfort scale (BCS) scores at the time of discharging from postanesthesia care unit (PACU) were recorded. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the recovery time of spontaneous breathing and extubation time were significantly shorter （P<0.05）, the VAS score was significantly lower (P<0.05), and the BCS score significantly increased in the TEAS group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences between two groups in the levels of SBP, DBP and HR at each time point (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: TEAS can accelerate the gastrointestinal surgery patients' recovery from general anesthesia, enhance the postoperative analgesic effect, improve patients' discomfort, has less adverse reactions, and is thus conducive to promote the postoperative rehabilitation.

[Application of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation in perioperative period].

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) has the characteristics of simple operation, non-invasive, and high patient acceptability, and is widely used in clinical practice. This article summarized the effects of TEAS on analgesia, gastrointestinal tract regulation, circulation regulation, postoperative cognitive function improvement, immune function regulation, anti-inflammatory and anti-stress during the perioperative period. At the same time, this article analyzed the problems of the application of TEAS in the perioperative period, and aimed to promote its clinical application.

Effects of electroacupuncture of different intensities on energy metabolism of mitochondria of brain cells in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) of different intensities on lactate dehydrogernase (LDH), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and ATPase in brain tissue of rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CI/R). METHODS: Forty male SD rats were uniformly randomized into sham operation group (group A), CI/R group (group B), CI/R+5 mA EA (group C), CI/R+3 mA EA (group D) and CI/R+1 mA EA (group E) groups with eight rats in each group. Transient general brain ischemia was induced by four-vessel occlusion and reperfusion. The rats in group C, group D and group E were punctured and stimulated at Baihui (GV20), Mingmen (GV4) and Zusanli (ST36) with the same intermittent and rarefaction-dense wave (30 to 50 Hz) and different electric current intensities: 5 mA, 3 mA and 1 mA for 20 min after CI/R. Then the activities of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, SDH and LDH in mitochondria of brain tissue were measured by spectrophotometry. The ischemic cerebral cortex tissue was taken for observing the ultrastructure changes of impaired nerve cells. RESULTS: Compared with group A, the activities of LDH, SDH and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase were lowerer in the group B (P<0.05 or P<0.01). However, the activities of LDH, SDH and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase were higher in the group D than those in the group B (P<0.05 orP<0.01). In group A, the anatomical structure of the cerebral cortex cells was basically normal; in group B, the neuronal cellular structures were severely damaged, the neuronal mitochondria got swelling, the mitochondrial cristae were broken, the medullated nerve fifibers were not integrated. In group C, group D and group E, the ultrastructure of impaired neuron were improved. Group D was the best among three groups above. CONCLUSION: EA of 3 mA intensity could strengthen aerobic metabolism by elevating the activities of SDH and LDH, meanwhile maintaining the ionic equilibrium in the exterior and interior brain cell and relieving the cellular edema by reinforcing the activities of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase.