In accordance with clinical research results of Chinese scientific & technological project of the “9th Five year Program" ——“acupuncture combined with general anesthesia of enflurane inhalation for resection of esophageal carcinoma", the operating rules of the anesthesia, and the rules of the operation of esophageal carcinoma resection have been formulated. The anesthesia operating rules comprise 1) clinical indications of anesthesia: a) indications, and b) relative contraindications; 2) preparations prior to the anesthesia: a) visiting patients; and b) drug application before operation; 3) anesthetic method: a) acupuncture method, bilateral Sanyangluo (TE 8) to Ximen (PC 4) and Xiayifeng, stimulated with 2～4 mA for EA and 10～13 mA for acupoint skin stimulation, frequency 2/15 Hz, 15～30 min, and b) general anesthesia; 4) anesthesia control;and 5) post anesthesia management. The rules of the operation include a) operation posture (right or left lying position); b) incision location; c) esophgectomy and esophagogastrostomy; and d) post operation nursing.
Objective: To observe the effect of preemptive analgesia of electroacupuncture(EA) for patients undergoing thoracic operation. Methods: 54 adult ASA (American Standards for Assessing the State of the Patient of American Anesthesia Association) grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ patients undergoing thoracic operation were randomly divided into three groups. The single blind method was used in the study. Patients in group A (n=18) were given with EA by using Han’s Acupoint Nerve Stimulator(HANS) for stimulating Xiayifeng point and Sanyangluo (SJ 8) to Ximen (PC 4; 2/15Hz, 2～4 mA and 15～ 20 min) first, then given with inhalational anesthetic (enflurane) and intravenous administration of fentany 2 μg/kg/hr, vecuronium 0.12 mg/kg/0.5 hr and propofol 2 mg/kg, During operation, HANS stimulation was given continuously, and combined with vecuronium 0.12 mg/kg. In group B (n=18), acupoint surface electrical stimulation (without acupuncture) combined with anesthetics (being same to those of group A) was given. In group C (n=18), only anesthetics were used. Then, the number of patients needing intramuscular injection of dolantin and the average doses in 3 groups were observed at 0～4 hr, 4～8 hr, 8～12 hr, 12～16 hr, 16～20 hr and 20～24 hr after operation. Results: The average dose of the injected dolantin in Group C was significantly higher than those of group A and B(P<0.001). 0～4 hr, 4～8 hr, 8～12 hr, 12～16 hr and 16～20 hr after operation, the number of patients needing intramuscular injection of dolantin in group A, B and C were 2, 2 and 9; 1, 2 and 7; 1, 2 and 6; and 1, 3 and 6 respectively. It is clear that the number of patients needing dolantin of group C is evidently more than those of group A and B (P<0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture stimulation conducted before thoracotomy has a preemptive analgesia effect.
