OBJECTIVETo compare the influence of acupuncture combine with general anesthesia (ACGA) and general anesthesia (GA) on immune function in patients of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in peri-operational period.

METHODSThirty-nine cases undergoing LC were randomly divided into an ACGA group and a GA group. The ACGA group was treated with electroacupuncture at Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36) and Yanglingquan (GB 34) for 15-30 minutes and subsequently with the general anesthesia followed by continuous electroacupuncture stimulation till the operation finished. The GA group was treated with simple general anesthesia. Changes of T cell subset, tumor necrosis factor-apha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were observed at time points of before anesthesia induction, 2 hours after operation, 1 and 3 days after operation and the occurrence of adverse reaction after operation was recorded.

RESULTSThe percentages of CD3+ and CD8+ in both groups at 2 hours after operation were significant lower than that before anesthesia induction (all P < 0.05), and the percentage of CD4+ in the GA group decreased significantly at that time point (P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference in the ACGA group and CD4+/CD8+ increased significantly (P < 0.05). The level of TNF-alpha in the ACGA group decreased significantly at 3 days after operation as compared with that of before anesthesia induction (P < 0.05). There were significantly less cases nauseated after operation in the ACGA group than that in the GA group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture combine with general anesthesia has very little effect on immune function in patients of LC with less adverse reactions.