OBJECTIVETo observe the regulatory effect of transcutaneous electro-acupuncture (TCEA) for preventing intratracheal extubation stress response (IESR) in general anesthesia.

METHODSSixty patients with breast cancer scheduled to receive mastectomy were numbered according to their sequence of hospitalization, patients of odd number were assigned to the control group and those of even number to the treated group, 30 in each group. They were anesthetized by the same anesthesia approach, but TCEA was applied on patients in the treated group in the narcotic process by stimulating at Hegu (LI4) and Neiguan (PC6) of the diseased side for 20 min before induction; then on bilateral points of Hegu, Neiguan, Chize (LU5) and Lieque (LU7) all through the whole course of operation, but at time of 30 min before ending operation, stimulus at Chize and Lieque points stopped and turned to bilateral Shuitu (ST10) and Qishe (ST11) points. No management other than conventional anesthesia was applied on patients in the control group. Changes of blood pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), plasma catecholamine and cortisol as well as the respiratory tract response occurred after extubation were observed and compared.

RESULTSHR, MAP, plasma levels of catecholamine and cortisol increased after extubation in both groups (P < 0.05), but the changes were more obvious in the control group than in the treated group (P < 0.05). Besides, the adverse reaction of respiratory tract occurred in the treated group was milder (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTCEA can alleviate the IESR to attenuate the adverse reaction of respiratory tract. It is definitely valuable in clinical practice.