OBJECTIVETo discuss the clinical therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture at Neimadian (Extra) and Neiguan (PC 6) on the analgesic effect of thoracic perioperative stage and its effect mechanism.

METHODSSixty cases of esophageal cancer with elective radical resection under general anesthesia were divided into an observation group and a control group according to the operation sequence, 30 cases in each one. In the control group, the general anesthesia was simply applied and sufentanil was administered for patient controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) after operation. In the observation group, on the basis of the scheme as the control group, the electroacupuncture was used at Neimadian (Extra) and Neiguan (PC 6) 30 min before anesthesia induction and after operation, with continuous wave, tolerable intensity, lasting for 30 min. Separately, before acupuncture (T1) and 2h (T2), 12h (T3), 24h (T4) and 48h (T5) after operation, the plasma β-endorphin (β-EP), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and prostaglandin E(PGE) were determined. During operation, under the same state (from 50 to 60) of bispectrum of EEG (BIS), the intraoperative anesthetic dose was recorded. Using visual analogue scale (VAS), the pain degree was evaluated at T2, T3, T4 and T5 separately and the grade assessment of the therapeutic effects and safety were recorded at each time point.

RESULTS①The total dosage of sufentanil in the observation group was less than that in the control group[(1.83±0.56) mg vs (2.54±0.62) mg,<0.05]. ②VAS scores at T2, T3 and T4 in the patients of the observation group were all lower than those in the control group (all<0.05). ③The levels of plasma β-EP at T3, T4 and T5 in the observation group were increased significantly as compared with those in the control group (all<0.05) and the levels of plasma 5-HT and PGEat T2, T3 and T4 were reduced significantly as compared with those in the control group (all<0.05). ④ The excellent analgesia rates 2h、12h and 24h after operation in the observation group were better than those in the control group (all<0.05). ⑤The rate of the A grade safety in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSElectroacupuncture at Neimadian (Extra) and Neiguan (PC 6) provides the safe and effective postoperative anesthesia of thoracic surgery and reduces the dosage of analgesics during the operation, which is possibly related to the increase of endogenous β-EP and the inhibition on the release of 5-HT and PGE.