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Original Articles: Adult Cardiac

Efficacy of Acupuncture in Prevention of Postoperative Nausea in Cardiac Surgery Patients

^a Mayo Medical School, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota
^b Division of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota
^c Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota
^d Division of Biostatistics, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota
^e Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota

Accepted for publication April 27, 2009.

^_* Address correspondence to Dr Vincent, Division of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905 (Email: vincent.ann{at}mayo.edu).

Background: Coronary artery bypass graft and cardiac valve surgeries are frequently performed in medical facilities in the United States, and postoperative nausea (PON) is a prevalent problem in this patient population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a single preoperative acupuncture treatment in the prevention of PON in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft or cardiac valve surgery, or both.

Methods: Ninety participants presenting for coronary artery bypass graft or cardiac valve surgery, or both, were recruited for this study. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either one preoperative acupuncture and standard postoperative care (acupuncture group) or solely standard postoperative care (control group). Acupuncture was performed 0.5 to 3 hours before surgery. The PON incidence and severity on postoperative day (POD) 2 and POD 3 were measured with validated nausea tools.

Results: The acupuncture group had a significantly lower incidence of nausea compared with the control group (POD 2, odds ratio [OR], 0.38; p = 0.05; and POD 3, OR, 0.26; p = 0.01). The acupuncture group also had a significantly lower score of nausea severity than the control group (POD 2, OR, 0.29; p = 0.01; and POD 3, OR, 0.25; p = 0.01). No adverse effects due to acupuncture treatment were reported. Antiemetics, pain medications, and anesthetics administered intraoperatively did not differ between the two groups and did not influence study results.

Conclusions: A single preoperative acupuncture treatment decreased incidence and severity of PON in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft or cardiac valve surgery, or both, and caused no adverse effects.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. S. Collins Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting in Adults: Implications for Critical Care Crit. Care Nurse, December 1, 2011; 31(6): 36 - 45. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. E. F. Coura, C. H. U. Manoel, R. Poffo, A. Bedin, and G. A. Westphal Randomised, controlled study of preoperative eletroacupuncture for postoperative pain control after cardiac surgery Acupunct Med, March 1, 2011; 29(1): 16 - 20. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]