Effect of acupuncture on the prevention of nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomized clinical trial

• Published in: Revista brasileira de anestesiologia Vol. 70; no. 5; pp. 520 - 526
• Main Authors: Luiz Eduardo Miranda, Luiz de França Maia e Silva Filho, Ana Carolina Brainer de Siqueira, Ana Clara Miranda, Bianca Rodrigues Castelo Branco Rocha, Ian Victor Paiva de Lima, Victor Soares Gomes da Silva, Diego Laurentino de Lima, Holmes Naspollini
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia 01.12.2020
• Subjects: Auricular acupuncture; Laparoscopic cholecystectomy; PONV
• ISSN: 1806-907X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bjane.2019.08.001

Abstract Background and objectives: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common and undesirable complication observed after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). We investigated the effects of auriculoacupuncture (AA) on the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting in the immediate postoperative period of uncomplicated laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods: Sixty-eight patients were randomly divided into two groups, auriculoacupuncture (n = 35) and control (n = 33), and then they were evaluated prospectively. The needle was placed before anaesthesia induction and remained for 20 minutes. Nausea intensity was evaluated using an analogic visual scale and PONV events were registered immediately after anaesthesia care unit admission and in the second, fourth and sixth hours after the surgery. Results: The auriculoacupuncture group had a significantly smaller incidence of nausea and vomiting than the control group throughout the whole postoperative period (16/35 vs. 27/33, p= 0.03 and 4/35 vs. 15/33, p= 0.005, respectively); the AA group had fewer nausea events 2 h (p= 0.03) and 6 h (p= 0.001) after surgery and fewer vomiting events 2 h (p= 0.01) and 6 h (p= 0.02) after surgery. Conclusions: Auriculoacupuncture can partially prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting when compared to metoclopramide alone after uncomplicated laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Auriculoacupuncture can be recommended as an adjuvant therapy for postoperative nausea and vomiting prevention in selected patients.