Stimulation of acupoint P6 before induction of anesthesia to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting; a randomized control trial

Abstract

Background & Aims: Laparoscopic surgery has been associated with troublesome postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients. Various regimens have been tried by the anesthesiologist to prevent PONV in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LapChole). The primary objective of this study was to determine the role of stimulation of acupoint P6 for this purpose in patients undergoing LapChole at our institution. 
 Methodology: A randomized clinical trial was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. The research setting took place at the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) of the hospital. A total of 84 participants undergoing LapChole, ASA Status I or II, were enrolled and randomly allocated into two groups: 41 in control and 43 in the intervention group. In the intervention group, a commercially available band – PressureRight™ was applied at the wrist and the beads were placed exactly at P6 point. In the control group, the band was applied at the wrist with the beads placed on the dorsal surface. In both groups, acupressure band was applied before the induction of anesthesia in the waiting area of the operating room and continued during the intraoperative period and six hours postoperatively.
 Measurements: Postoperatively, patients were monitored for postoperative nausea and vomiting at the time of arrival in post anesthesia care unit [PACU], after half hour, three hour and six hours postoperatively using numerical pain scale [NPS] from 1-10 [1=none, 2-5=mild, 6-7=moderate, 8-10=severe] for PONV separately.
 Main Results: The results of PONV in PACU, at 30 minutes, three hours and six hours postoperatively showed an insignificant difference in intervention and control group. The frequencies of mild to moderate PONV were gradually reduced in both groups but the reduction was more pronounced in the control group than in the intervention group. There were no reported events of severe PONV at three hours and six hours postoperatively in both groups. The use of rescue antiemetics was statistically insignificant between the two groups [P = 0.744].
 Conclusions: Our study reports that acupressure at Neiguan P6 point starting before the induction of anesthesia till 6 hours postoperative has no significant role in preventing PONV in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Rescue antiemetics were required in both groups with a similar frequency.
 Key words: Acupoint P6; Acupressure; PONV; Laparoscopic cholecystectomy; Antiemetics; Randomized Clinical Trial
 Ethical approval: AKU No. 5365-ane-ERC-18, dated July 17, 2018
 Citation: Hamid S, Butt MN, Rehman A, Afshan G. Stimulation of acupoint P6 before induction of anesthesia to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting; a randomized control trial. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2022;26(1):96-101.
 DOI: 10.35975/apic.v26i1.1774
 Received: August 6, 2021, Reviewed: October 22, 2012, Accepted: December 15, 2021