Effect of electroacupuncture on internal carotid artery blood flow in patients undergoing laparoscopic gallbladder surgery: A randomized clinical trial

Background

Little is known about the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on cerebral blood flow. We investigated this question in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy, hypothesizing that EA would increase cerebral blood flow during surgery.

Methods

Eighty-two patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly divided into receiving electroacupuncture and intravenous anesthesia (EA+IA) and receving intravenous anesthesia alone (IA). The patients in EA+IA were treated with EA at Baihui (GV 20), Shuigou (GV 26), unilateral Neiguan (PC 6) and unilateral Zusanli (ST 36) points 20 min before anesthesia until the end of the operation. The patients in IA received intravenous anesthesia alone. The internal carotid artery blood flow (Q), mean arterial pressure (MAP), end-tidal carbon dioxide pressure (P_ETCO₂) and heart rate (HR) were recorded respectively before anesthesia induction (T₁), 2 min after anesthesia induction (T₂), 1 min after pneumoperitoneum (T₃), 1 min after head-up tilt (T₄) and after anesthesia resuscitation (T₅).

Results

The internal carotid artery blood flow was significantly higher in EA+IA (mean [SD], T₃, 294.0 [89.6] ml min^-1; T₄, 303.8 [90.6] ml min^-1) than in IA (mean [SD], T₃, 246.4 [80.9] ml min^-1; T4, 253.5 [78.4] ml min^-1) at T₃ and T₄ (P < 0.05). There was no difference in blood flow between the two groups at T₂ and T₅. As compared with baseline (T₁), the internal carotid artery blood flow decreased at T₂-T₄ in two groups (P < 0.05). There were no differences in MAP, P_ETCO₂, and HR between the two groups.

Conclusion

Electroacupuncture intervention could reduce the decline of internal carotid artery blood flow in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Trial registration

ChiCTR: 2,100,041,761.