Postoperative analgesia after low-frequency electroacupuncture as adjunctive treatment in inguinal hernia surgery with abdominal wall mesh reconstructionn

Objective To determine whether an
electroacupuncture (EA) technique that was
developed for a surgical population under
general anaesthesia reduces pain after mesh
inguinal hernia open repair.
Methods A total of 54 patients with right or
left inguinal hernia were randomised to group I
(preoperative, intraoperative, postoperative EA),
group II (preoperative, postoperative EA), or a
sham control group (group III; preoperative and
postoperative placement of needles, but withoutskin penetration). The Visual Analogue Scale
(VAS) (primary outcome) and the State-Trait
Anxiety Spielberger Inventory were evaluated
preoperatively and at 30 min, 90 min, 10 h and
24 h after surgery. Pain threshold and tolerancewere evaluated using an algometer at these
same time points and preoperatively before andafter EA. Levels of the stress hormones cortisol,
corticotrophin and prolactin were determined at30 min, 90 min and 10 h after surgery and
preoperatively before and after EA.
Results The results showed significant
differences between the true EA and control
groups. The true EA groups (I and II) showed
statistically significantly greater improvements in
the primary (VAS pain, p<0.05) and secondary
outcome measures (Anxiety scale; algometer
measurements, p<0.05 and stress hormones,
p<0.01) compared to the control group. There
were no statistically significant differences
between groups I and II.
Conclusions Electroacupuncture reduces
postoperative pain after mesh inguinal hernia
repair and decreases stress hormone levels and
anxiety during the postoperative period.
Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov
identifier NCT01722253.