Asian Oncol Nurs.  2024 Dec;24(4):216-227. 10.5388/aon.2024.24.4.216.

The Effect of P6 Acupressure on Nausea, Vomiting and Retching of Patients with Liver Cancer Undergoing Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization (TACE) Using Nonequivalent Control Group Non-synchronized Design

• Lee J
• Suh EE

• KMID: 2563947
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5388/aon.2024.24.4.216

Abstract

Purpose
Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization (TACE) is administered repeatedly throughout all stages of liver cancer, often leading to side effects like nausea, vomiting, and retching. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical impact of P6 acupressure using Sea-Band^® wristbands on these symptoms following TACE.
Methods
From October 2017 to March 2018, 90 liver cancer patients were recruited from a tertiary hospital and divided into three groups: control, placebo, and P6 acupressure. The control group received standard nursing care, while the placebo group underwent SI3 acupressure on the lateral hand, and the P6 acupressure group used Sea-Band^® wristbands for four days. Symptoms were measured at seven time points using Rhodes’ INVR tool.
Results
Data analysis with SPSS revealed that the P6 acupressure group had significantly lower total INVR scores, as well as reduced vomiting (F=5.53, p<.001) and retching (F=3.35, p<.032) compared to the placebo and control groups. Nausea scores, however, did not show a significant difference across the groups (F=1.78, p<.090).
Conclusion
This study highlights that P6 acupressure is a safe, non-invasive, and cost-effective intervention that effectively reduces vomiting and retching in liver cancer patients post-TACE. It recommends incorporating this intervention into clinical practice, alongside comprehensive nursing education on symptom management.

Keyword

Acupressure; Care; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Nursing; Patient