Capsicum plaster at the Korean hand acupuncture point reduces postoperative nausea and vomiting after abdominal hysterectomy

• Published in: Anesthesia and analgesia Vol. 95; no. 4; pp. 1103 - 1107
• Main Authors: KIM, Kyo S, KOO, Min S, JEON, Jeong W, PARK, Hahck S, SEUNG, Ik S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott 01.10.2002
• Subjects: Acupuncture Points; Administration, Topical; Adult; Anesthesia; Antiemetics - administration & dosage; Antiemetics - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Capsicum; Diseases of the digestive system; Double-Blind Method; Female; Fingers - physiology; Humans; Hysterectomy - adverse effects; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Phytotherapy; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting - prevention & control; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Human; Postoperative; Oriental medicine; Nausea; Hysterectomy; Prevention; Chinese medicine; Folk medicine; Acupuncture point; Vomiting; Surgery; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Digestive diseases; Complication; Female; Spermatophyta; Solanaceae; Acupuncture; Capsicum; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0003-2999; 1526-7598
• DOI: 10.1097/00000539-200210000-00059

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are still common and distressing problems after general anesthesia, especially in patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy. We studied a nonpharmacological therapy of PONV-capsicum plaster (PAS)-at either the Korean hand acupuncture point K-D2 or the Chinese acupuncture point Pericardium 6 (P6) of both hands. One-hundred-sixty healthy patients were included in a randomized, double-blinded study: 60 patients were in the control group, 50 patients were in the K-D2 group, and 50 patients were in the P6 group. PAS was applied at the K-D2 point in the K-D2 group and at the P6 point in the P6 group, whereas in the control group, an inactive tape was fixed at the K-D2 point of both hands. The PAS was applied before the induction of anesthesia and removed at 8 h after surgery. The incidence of PONV and the need for rescue medication were evaluated at predetermined time intervals. In the treatment group, the incidence of vomiting was significantly less (22% for the K-D2 group and 26% for the P6 group) than in the control group (56.7%) at 24 h after surgery (P < 0.001). The need for rescue antiemetics was significantly less in the treatment groups compared with the control group (P < 0.001). We conclude that PAS at the Korean hand acupuncture point K-D2 was an effective method for reducing PONV, as was PAS at the P6 acupoint, after abdominal hysterectomy. Capsicum plaster at either the Korean hand acupuncture point K-D2 or the Pericardium 6 acupoint reduces postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy.