From pioneering to innovation: A comprehensive review of acupuncture anesthesia in cardiothoracic surgeries.

The evolution of acupuncture anesthesia (AA) has spanned six decades. Cardiothoracic surgery serves as a representative case study to illustrate this evolution. Reflecting on its historical development, the use of AA in cardiothoracic surgery has advanced from basic AA procedures in the 1960s to combined acupuncture and drug anesthesia techniques in the early 1980s.

Research progress of acupuncture in the regulation of surgery stress response.

In clinical practice, operative stress varies from surgeries, which may lead to many injuries such as ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), hyperactivation of sympathetic nervous system (SNS), post-traumatic immunosuppression (PTI), hypercoagulation and inflammation. Acupuncture is effective and advantageous in regulating the stress response to surgery. The great progress has been made in recent years of acupuncture research in postoperative visceral IRI, SNS hyperactivation, PTI, hypercoagulation and inflammation.

[Retrospective cohort study on application of acupuncture-aided anesthesia technique to patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy].

Objective: To compare the clinical effect of "initial scheme" and "improved scheme" of acupuncture-aided anesthesia for patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy.

Methods: A retrospective analysis about 2 groups ("initial scheme" and "improved scheme") of patients (40 cases in each group) who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy was conducted in the present paper. Patients of the "initial scheme" group received thoracoscopic operation with three incisions under acupuncture-aided anesthesia i.

[Progress of the application research of modern acupuncture anesthesia in perioperative period of thoracic surgery].

Modern acupuncture anesthesia is the application of acupuncture-related therapies to optimize the perioperative management which is based on the combined acupuncture-medicine anesthesia technology, and building a perioperative acupuncture anesthesia accelerated rehabilitation system. Based on the thoracic surgery, this paper analyzes and summarizes the application effects of modern acupuncture anesthesia, focusing on preoperative anxiety relief and advanced analgesia； reduce the dosage of anesthetics, stable respiration and hemodynamics, anti-stress and organ protection during surgery； postoperative analgesia, prevention of nausea, vomiting and cognitive impairment, improvement of gastrointestinal function, prevention of cognitive impairment, and enhancement of immunity. It is anticipated that this review may provide a basis for the further promotion and application of modern acupuncture anesthesia in clinical practice.

Electroacupuncture Attenuates Surgical Stress-Induced Reduction of T Lymphocytes through Modulation of Peripheral Opioid System.

Objective: To investigate the action mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) on postoperative immunosuppression.

Methods: Male C57BL/6 mice (5`-7 weeks old) were randomly divided into: the sham injury group, the surgical trauma stressed group, the EA group [surgery + 2/100 Hz EA at Neiguan (PC 6)], and the EA+ Nal (surgery + EA + intraperitoneal injection of naloxone). Abdominal surgical trauma stress mice model was established.

[Research on Acupuncture in Regulating the Inflammatory Reaction in Anti-ischemia-reperfusion Injury].

The inflammatory response during ischemia-reperfusion is one of principal reasons for secondary organ injury. Therefore, the inhibition of inflammation has become a research hot spot. The current research showed that acupuncture can not only directly inhibit the infiltration of inflammatory cells and regulate the expression of inflammatory cytokines, but is also involved in the overall regulation of the inflammatory signaling pathway and inhibition of the inflammatory response, thereby effectively improving ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Acupuncture for neuropathic pain in adults.

Background: Neuropathic pain may be caused by nerve damage, and is often followed by changes to the central nervous system. Uncertainty remains regarding the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture treatments for neuropathic pain, despite a number of clinical trials being undertaken.

Objectives: To assess the analgesic efficacy and adverse events of acupuncture treatments for chronic neuropathic pain in adults.

[Electroacupuncture Intervention Combined with Anesthetics for Analgesia and Post-surgical Gastrointestinal Recovery in Pneumectomy Patients].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of bilateral Taichong (LR 3), Yan-glingquan (GB 34), Waiguan (TE 5) and Chize (LU 5) on pain and post-surgical gastrointestinal reactions in patients undergoing pneumectomy.

Methods: Sixty patients with pneumectomy were randomly divided into EA group (30 cases) and control group (30 cases). For patients of the EA group, EA stimulation (2 Hz, 3 - 5 mA) was applied to bilateral LR 3, GB 34, TE 5 and LU 5 once every 12 h in the following two days after the surgery.

[Post-operative management for 86 cases of heart valve replacement surgery patients undergoing transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation combined with general anesthesia].

Objective: To summarize post-operative management strategy for heart valve replacement surgery under transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with general anesthesia.

Methods: From July 2006 to June 2012, a total of 86 cases of open-heart surgery patients experiencing TEAS plus general anesthesia with cardiopulmonary bypass (heart valve replacement surgery without intubation) were recruited in the present summary. Post-operative managements in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were administrated with strict hemodynamic monitoring for volume infusion, routine administration of vasoactive drugs (including dopamine and nitroglycerin), oxygen inhalation, and analgesics and monitoring of central nervous system and renal function.

[Electroacupuncture intervention combined with general anesthesia for 80 cases of heart valve replacement surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass].

Objective: To determine whether electroacupuncture (EA) intervention combined with general anesthesia (GA) strategy can reduce early post-operative morbidity and medical costs in patients undergoing heart valve replacement operation under cardiopulmonary bypass.

Methods: A total of 160 heart valve replacement surgery patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass were randomly divided into GA and EA + GA groups (n = 80 in each group). Patients of the GA group were given with intravenous injection of Fentanyl, Midazolam, Vecuronium Bromide, etc.

Acupuncture anesthesia for open heart surgery in contemporary China.

Background: Although the use of acupuncture anesthesia for open heart surgery, which was introduced in China four decades ago, has declined in recent years, there is a renewed interest in it in contemporary China due to the escalating medical costs associated with open heart surgery. This study was aimed to determine whether a combined acupuncture-medicine anesthesia (CAMA) strategy reduces early postoperative morbidity and medical costs in patients undergoing open heart operation under cardiopulmonary bypass.

Methods: From July 2006 to October 2010, CAMA was applied in 100 patients undergoing open heart surgery in comparison with another 100 patients under the conventional general anesthesia (GA).