OBJECTIVETo observe analgesic effect of acupuncture compound anesthesia for patients of different pain thresholds.

METHODSSeven hundred cases of infertility who will be taken ova under ultrasound guidance via the va gina and receive in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET), were randomly divided into an acupuncture compound anesthesia group (n = 347) and a simple Dolantin group (n = 353). The pain thresholds in the acupunc ture compound anesthesia group was determined 30 min before acupuncture on one day before taking ova, and in the simple Dolantin group was determined before injection of Dolantin and 30 min before taking the ova. The patients in the two groups respectively received electroacupuncture at Shenshu (BL 23), Ciliao (BL 32), Baihui (GV 20), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), etc. combined with intramuscular injection of Dolantin, and simple intramuscular injection of Do lantin.

RESULTSFor the patients with pain thresholds of 1 mA, 1.5 mA and 2 mA, the cumulative scores of pain in the acupuncture compound anesthesia group were significantly lower than those in the simple dolantin group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). For the patients with pain thresholds of 0.5 mA, 2.5 mA and 3 mA, in cumulative scores of pain there were no significant differences between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONFor the patients with moderate pain thresholds, acupuncture compound anesthesia has good analgesic effect.