ACUPUNCTURE AND POSTOPERATIVE NAUSEA
Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) affects 30% of general surgery patients and can occur in rates of up to 80% in those patients classified as high-risk. It is the leading cause of failed discharge and readmission. It has been quoted by patients as a worse experience than postoperative pain1. Preventing PONV has been identified as being economically beneficial for medical institutions2.
The highest risk for PONV is for women, non-smokers, and those with a history of motion sickness or previous PONV.
Acupuncture is the most-studied non-pharmacological approach to PONV, and following previous studies which appeared to validate it, a large study was carried out at the Humanitas Hospital of Milan and the results published in 20143.
Non-penetrative stimulation of an acupuncture point by anaesthetists, trained before the commencement of the study, was carried out on 300 patients. Prophylactic administration of antiemitic medications were not scheduled.
Incidence of PONV was 8% among the patients. No readmissions due to persistent vomiting were recorded.
The hospital board has subsequently certified this approach as an institutional procedure.
1Macario, A et al. (1999). Which clinical anaesthesia outcomes are important to avoid? The perspective of patients. Anesth Analg, 89: 652-8
2Dzwonczyk, R et al. (2012) Postoperative nausea and vomiting prophylaxis from an economic point of view. Am J Ther, 19: 11-5
3Ferrari, C et al. (2014). Acupuncture in the prevention and control of postoperative nausea and vomiting: an institutional challenge for non-acupuncturist anaesthesiologists. European Journal of Oriental Medicine, 7, 6: 46-49
