Korean J Anesthesiol.  2004 Dec;47(6):834-839. 10.4097/kjae.2004.47.6.834.

Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation of the P6 Acupoint Reduces Postoperative Nausea after Minor Breast Surgery

• Kim SI
• Yoo IS
• Park HN
• Ok SY
• Kim SC

• KMID: 2032600
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2004.47.6.834

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The present study was undertaken to investigate whether the transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the P6 acupoint prevents postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after minor breast surgery.
METHODS
In this prospective, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study, we investigated ASA I or II female patients who underwent minor breast surgery under general anesthesia using sevoflurane. We used a ReliefBand(R) device (NSTTM 600, Woodside Biomedical Inc, USA) for the transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the P6 acupoint. The patients were randomly divided into two groups; in the P6 group (n = 33) the activated ReliefBand(R) was placed at the P6 acupoint; in the placebo group (n = 33) the inactivated ReliefBand(R) was placed at the P6 acupoint. The ReliefBand(R) was applied 10 min before the end of surgery and it remained in place for 24 h. We evaluated the incidence and severity of PONV, and the need for palliative antiemetics during the first 6 h and 24 h after surgery.
RESULTS
The incidence of nausea was significantly lower in the P6 group (33%) than in the placebo group (67%) during the first 24 h after surgery. The severity of nausea was also significantly lower in the P6 group than in the placebo group. However, the incidence of vomiting and the need for palliative antiemetics was not different between the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the P6 acupoint significantly reduced the incidence and severity of nausea, but not the incidence and severity of vomiting, for female patients undergoing minor breast surgery during the first 24 h after surgery.

Keyword

acupuncture; minor breast surgery; postoperative nausea and vomiting; transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation

MeSH Terms

Acupuncture
Acupuncture Points*
Anesthesia, General
Antiemetics
Breast*
Female
Humans
Incidence
Nausea
Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting*
Prospective Studies
Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation*
Vomiting
Antiemetics