OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of acupuncture for preventing and treating the complication after Morphine anesthesia and analgesia and to explore the mechanism of acupuncture treatment.

METHODSPatients scheduled to undergo transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) were randomly divided into 3 groups, 20 cases in each group. After lumbar anesthesia, group II and III were treated with acupuncture, and group I with no acupuncture, retaining needle for 30 minutes. Hegu (LI 4), Quchi (LI 11), Neiguan (PC 6), Zhigou (TE 6) were selected in group II, and Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37), Xiajuxu (ST 39) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) selected in group III. The indices of bowel sounds, nausea and vomiting, itching were observed before, during and one day after operation.

RESULTSAfter lumbar anesthesia with Morphine, the bowel sounds were significant decrease in all the 3 groups. After acupuncture and before TURP the number of times of bowel sound were increased in group II with significant differences as compared with those in group I and group III at the same time point (all P < 0.05). The incidence rates of vomiting and itching were 5.0% (1/20) and 30.0 (6/20) respectively in group II, which were less than 35.0% (7/20) and 80.0% (16/20) in group I.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture has a therapeutic effect on the complication induced by Morphine without nerve block. However, the therapeutic effect of acupuncture is attenuated after nerve block. Its mechanism may be related to nervous pathway.