2.A Case of One-stop Procedure for Cryoballoon Ablation and Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion of Atrial Fibrillation Under Electroacupuncture Anesthesia
Rongren KUANG ; Shuai WANG ; Yulian JIANG ; Xianliang WANG ; Jianming YIN ; Jingyuan MAO
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(7):760-764
Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of chronic cardiac arrhythmia. Catheter ablation and left atrial appendage occlusion are effective treatment methods for atrial fibrillation, but these procedures require anesthesia support. However, anesthetic drugs often cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, involuntary movements, and respiratory depression. This paper presents a case of a successful one-stop procedure for cryoballoon ablation and left atrial appendage occlusion of atrial fibrillation performed entirely under acupuncture anesthesia. Thirty minutes before the procedure, acupuncture needles were inserted perpendicularly at bilateral Neiguan (PC 6), Lieque (LU 7), Ximen (PC 4) and (LU 6). After obtaining the deqi (得气) sensation, an electroacupuncture device was connected, and electroacupuncture anesthesia was used for pain control throughout the procedure. The patient exhibited good tolerance and cooperation, with electroacupuncture anesthesia completely replacing intravenous anesthetics, ensuring the smooth completion of the surgery. Postoperative follow-up showed favorable outcomes.