Acupuncture Anesthesia Research Articles

Risk factors for complications in patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy under acupuncture anesthesia.

To identify risk factors for complications in patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy under acupuncture anesthesia and to construct a nomogram predictive model. This retrospective study included 292 patients who underwent gastrointestinal endoscopy under acupuncture anesthesia at the Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from June 2020 to May 2023. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for complications in patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy under acupuncture anesthesia. A nomogram prediction model was constructed using the RMS package of R4.1.2 software based on the independent risk factors identified. The predictive performance of the model was assessed using consistency index (C-index), calibration curve, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Seventy-five patients (25.68%) had complications. Body mass index (BMI), history of cardiovascular diseases, fasting time, history of respiratory diseases, and Sedation-Agitation Scale (SAS) score were identified as risk factors for complications. Based on this risk, a nomogram predictive model was constructed. The C-index of the nomogram model was 0.927. Calibration curve showed a good consistency between actual observations and nomogram predictions. The ROC curve area under curve (AUC) was 0.927 (95% CI: 0.895-0.959), indicating a certain predictive value for the occurrence of complications. When the optimal cut-off value was selected, the sensitivity and specificity of the model were 77.0% and 92.0%, respectively, indicating that the predictive model was effective. BMI, history of cardiovascular disease, fasting time, history of respiratory disease, and SAS score are independent risk factors for complications in patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy under acupuncture anesthesia. The constructed nomogram predictive model has a good performance in predicting the occurrence of complications in patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy with under acupuncture anesthesia.

Effect of acupuncture anesthesia on inflammatory response and cellular immunity in patients with osteoporotic fractures.

Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) occur frequently in the elderly, with percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) being the major clinical treatment at present. How to improve the patient's surgical cooperation while ensuring surgical safety is the focus of clinical research. This study explores the influence of acupuncture anesthesia (AA) on the safety, inflammatory response, and cellular immunity of OVCF patients undergoing PVP, which may provide a more reliable safety guarantee for future treatment of OVCFs. The results showed that patients using AA had lower postoperative Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores and incidence of postoperative adverse reactions, a smaller anesthetic dosage, but an extended duration of anesthesia; moreover, the postoperative inflammatory response was markedly alleviated and the stability of T lymphocyte subsets was obviously enhanced. Therefore, AA has high clinical application value in PKP treatment of OVCFs in the future.

The effects of combined acupuncture anesthesia and serratus anterior plane block with ropivacaine on postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing chest surgery

Objective To investigate the effects of combined acupuncture anesthesia and ropivacaine on postoperative analgesia and neuro-related factors in patients undergoing chest surgery. Methods The analgesic drug dosage, postoperative PCIA pressing times, VAS scores at rest and during activity at 6 h (T1), 12 h (T2), 18 h (T3), and 24 h (T4) postoperatively. Results The analgesic drug dosage and postoperative PCIA pressing times were lower in the observation group than in the control group (p < 0.05). The VAS scores at T1–T4 postoperatively were lower in the observation group than in the control group (p < 0.05). The SAS scores at T1–T4 postoperatively were lower in the observation group than in the control group (p < 0.05). The levels of IL-6 and IL-10 on postoperative day 1 were higher than those on preoperative day 1 in both groups, with a smaller change in the observation group (p < 0.05). The levels of S100β protein on postoperative day 1 were higher than those on preoperative day 1 in both groups, while the BDNF levels were lower, with a smaller change in the observation group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the control group (11.36%) and the observation group (15.56%) (p > 0.05). Conclusion Combined acupuncture anesthesia and ropivacaine can effectively improve postoperative analgesia and agitation in patients undergoing chest surgery, reduce the dosage of analgesic drugs, regulate the levels of inflammatory factors and neurotrophic factors in patients, and do not increase the risk of adverse reactions related to patients.

Understanding acupuncture anesthesia from a foreign perspective： reviewing Acupuncture Anesthesia in the People's Republic of China.

"Acupuncture Anesthesia in the People's Republic of China： A Trip Report of the American Acupuncture Anesthesia Study Group" (Report for short) is the first extraterritorial systematic investigation and evaluation report in the history of acupuncture anesthesia in China. After Report was released to the public, it has not drawn much attention in China. At the moment when acupuncture anesthesia is extended to perioperative treatment, by reviewing the Report, the differences in understanding acupuncture anesthesia were analyzed from a foreign perspective. Report involves the clinical observation of surgery under acupuncture anesthesia, the analysis on the factors of acupuncture anesthesia in therapeutic effects and the relevant mechanisms, and the differences in the research methods and foci on the recognition of acupuncture anesthesia between China and foreign countries. In association with the development of acupuncture anesthesia during the past 65 years and the conclusion in Report, the paper briefly describes the development and perfection of acupuncture anesthesia, the historical verification to the conclusions in Report and the limitations in modern acupuncture anesthesia. It provides some inspiration for the development of acupuncture anesthesia, acupuncture-moxibustion medicine and life science in the future.

Research trends from 1992 to 2022 of acupuncture anesthesia: a bibliometric analysis.

Acupuncture anesthesia is a significant technical development that originated in China in 1958 and was introduced to the West in the early 1970s. Due to its relative novelty, it has been the subject of intense scrutiny and contestation. Since the early 1970s, the use of acupuncture as a complementary treatment for opioid analgesics has been accepted. Research on acupuncture anesthesia has helped to reduce clinical opioid abuse. However, only a few articles have focused on previous publications that reflect the trend of the study, the main investigators, reciprocal collaboration, and other information in this field. In view of this, we utilized bibliographic analysis methods to objectively analyze current trends and research hotspots in this field, aiming to provide a foundation and reference for future studies. The Web of Science database was searched for publications related to acupuncture anesthesia between 1992 and 2022. The CiteSpace and VOSviewer were used to analyze the annual publications, authors, Co-cited authors, and their countries (regions) and institutions, co-occurrence keywords, burst keywords, Co-citation references and Co-citation journals. A total of 746 eligible publications were retrieved from the database for the analysis, including 637 articles and 109 reviews. And the trend of annual publications continued to grow. Aashish J. Kumar, Daniel I. Sessler, Baoguo Wang, and Paul F. White published the most papers in this field (7), and all authors, had a very low centrality (<0.01). China (252) and the University of California System (21) were the most productive country (region) and institution, respectively, while the United States (0.62) and University of California System (0.16) had the highest centrality. After removing keywords related to the search strategy, the three most frequent were pain (115), electroacupuncture (109), and stimulation (91). The six most recent burst keywords were recovery, transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation, systematic review, quality, general anesthesia, and surgery. Wang et al.'s article had the highest co-citation count (20), whereas Zhang et al.'s articles had the highest centrality (0.25). The Journal of Anesthesia and Analgesia was the most influential one (408 co-citations). This research provides valuable information for the study of acupuncture anesthesia. In recent years, frontier topics in acupuncture anesthesia research have been the promotion of perioperative rehabilitation, anesthesia management, and quality improvement.

Effect of acupuncture anesthesia based on nanomaterial sensor on cognitive function after one-lung ventilation thoracotomy

In this work, a new type of nanomaterial sensing acupuncture needle was developed to improve patient comfort and treatment effectiveness. Based on the convenient electrochemical casting process, multilayer nano-tapered holes were constructed on the needle surface to form a porous nano-sensing acupuncture needle (PNAN), which further increases the interface area of the acupuncture needle. To evaluate the effect of PNAN-induced anesthesia on cognitive function after one-lung ventilation and thoracotomy, 60 patients with esophageal cancer undergoing thoracotomy were randomly divided into an acupuncture-induced anesthesia (AIA) group and a conventional anesthesia (CA) group. The recovery time for cognitive function and the incidence of cognitive impairment in the PNAN-induced anesthesia group after one-lung ventilation and thoracotomy were significantly lower than those of the CA group (P &lt; 0.05). The scores from the Mini Mental State Examination Scale (MMSE) and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) for the AIA group were lower than the preoperative scores and were better than those for the CA group (P &lt; 0.05). In addition, after one-lung ventilation and thoracotomy, the concentrations of cytokines and catecholamines (CAs) in both groups were lower than the preoperative values, and the levels of cytokines and CAs in the AIA group were significantly lower than those of the CA group. Therefore, acupuncture anesthesia based on a nanomaterial sensor can significantly improve the cognitive function of patients after one-lung ventilation and thoracotomy, inhibit inflammatory factors, and provide an optimal curative effect.

Progress of the application research of acupuncture anesthesia in thyroid surgery

This article reviews the clinical studies on the application of acupuncture anesthesia in thyroid surgery over the past 5 years. Starting from the principle of acupuncture anesthesia, the authors explore the application of acupuncture anesthesia in thyroid surgery, its advantages and development. The summarized findings showed that acupuncture anesthesia has a better analgesic effect in thyroid surgery, which can reduce the occurrence of stress reactions, adverse reactions and complications, and is conducive to postoperative recovery. However, there is a lack of standardized operations. In the future, standardized operations can make acupuncture anesthesia more widely used and popularized.

Acupuncture Anesthesia on American Bodies: Communism, Race, and the Cold War in the Making of "Legitimate" Medical Science.

This article explores the brief American fascination with acupuncture anesthesia, a technique in which needling was used in place of, or in combination with, chemical anesthetics during surgery. In 1971, a series of American medical delegations began traveling to China to observe the procedure and gauge its viability. While some of these physicians were optimistic about the technique's therapeutic possibilities, others were antagonistic to its feasibility in an American context. Previous studies have explained the quick rise and rapid delegitimization of acupuncture anesthesia by invoking the professional interests of biomedical doctors. In contrast, this article rethinks the history of the procedure by casting it against the backdrop of the Cold War. In discussions about the legitimacy of the technique, assumptions about race, communist politics, and Cold War bipolarity were omnipresent, causing acupuncture anesthesia to become a synecdoche for the promises and perils of Chinese communism writ large.

Effect of combined acupuncture-medicine anesthesia in thyroid nodule ablation and its effect on serum β-endorphin

To investigate the anesthetic effect of combined acupuncture-medicine anesthesia in microwave ablation of benign thyroid nodules and its effect on serum β-endorphin. A total of 60 patients who met the inclusion criteria and received microwave ablation of benign thyroid nodules were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group, with 30 patients in each. The patients in the treatment group were given combined acupuncture-medicine anesthesia, and those in the control group were given intravenous anesthesia. The two groups were compared in terms of the sedative and analgesic effects of anesthesia, amount of anesthetics used, incidence rate of intraoperative snore and respiratory depression, and change in serum β-endorphin level before anesthesia, before surgery, and after the surgery. Both groups obtained satisfactory anesthetic effects. Compared with the control group, the sedation score, the amounts of fentanyl and propofol used, the incidence rates of intraoperative snore and respiratory depression in the treatment group were obviously lower (P<0.05, P<0.01). The treatment group had an increase in serum β-endorphin level before surgery and at the end of surgery (P<0.05), while the control group showed no significant change in serum β-endorphin level at each time point. In microwave ablation of benign thyroid nodules, combined acupuncture-medicine anesthesia has good sedative and analgesic effects and can reduce the amounts of anesthetics used as well as the incidence rates of intraoperative snore and respiratory depression. The analgesic effect of acupuncture anesthesia is associated with increased β-endorphin secretion.

Perioperative acupuncture--a novel concept instead of acupuncture anesthesia

Despite anesthesia(AA) being one of the most significant achievements in modern Chinese medicine, it cannot provide complete anesthesia effect and is eliminated from clinical use. A large number of clinical practices has confirmed that applied to patients is far beyond the meaning and scope of traditional anesthesia and has special advantages. This article proposes a novel concept of acupuncture by summarizing the benefits of using before during and after surgical operation. Acupuncture can relieve anxiety and stress during the pre-operative stage. Furthermore, using during operation reduces the usage of narcotics, stress response, maintains the respiratory stability and homeostasis and provides protections to vital organs during surgery. After surgery, using during the postoperative stages enhances recovery and effectively alleviates postoperative pain, prevents common postoperative discomforts such as nausea and vomiting. It may also improve patients′ long-term prognoses. This article analyzes the beneficial effect of in perioperative period, and puts forward the new concept of acupuncture to replace AA. This review aims to improve the clinical efficacy of acupuncture, promote the application of in perioperative period, accelerate the recovery of patients, reduce the perioperative mortality and improve the prognosis. Key words: Acupuncture; Acupuncture anesthesia; Perioperative

Effect of Combined Acupuncture Anesthesia on Surgical Dosage and Serum IL-4, IL-10 of Pneumonectomy Patients.

To analyse the effects of combined acupuncture anesthesia on surgical dosage and serum interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-10 (IL-10) of pneumonectomy patients. A randomised controlled trial (RCT). Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China, from January 2016 to November 2017. A total of 110 patients undergoing pneumonectomy were randomly divided into group A and group B, with 55 cases in each group. Group A was treated with combined 2Hz acupuncture anesthesia, while group B was treated with combined 2Hz/100Hz acupuncture anesthesia. The additional propofol, fentanyl dosage, and changes in heart rate and systolic blood pressure 5 min before and during extubation were compared between the two groups. The serum IL-4 and IL-10 levels were measured 10 minutes after skin incision and 24 hours after surgery using ELISA. Pain was rated by visual analogue scale (VAS) at 24 hours after surgery. There was no statistically significant difference between group A and group B in the intraoperative additional propofol and fentanyl dosags (p=0.541 and 0.719, respectively). There is no statistical difference in heart rate and systolic blood pressure between group A and group B at 5 minutes before and during extubation (p=0.151, 0.660 and 0.734, 0.528, respectively). There is no statistical difference between group A and group B in serum IL-4 and IL-10 levels 10 minutes after surgical incision (p=0.916 and 0.841, respectively). However, serum IL-4 and IL-2 levels in group A are statistically lower than that of group B at 24 hours after surgery (all p<0.001). The VAS score at 24 hours after surgery in group A was 2.44 ±0.71 points, which was significantly lower than that of group B (3.82 ±0.77 points, p<0.001). Combined 2 Hz, 2 Hz/100 Hz acupuncture anesthesia need few anesthetic dosages of propofol and fentanyl to stabilise the patient's blood pressure and heart rate when intubated under general anesthesia; but combined 2 Hz acupuncture anesthesia can reduce IL-4 and IL-10 levels during surgery stress to a greater extent than the latter, and can effectively lower patients' serum IL-4, IL-10 expression after surgery.

Historical Review About 60 Years' Clinical Practice of Acupuncture Anesthesia

Acupuncture anesthesia (AA) is an anesthetic method created by medical workers and researchers in China during medical practice in 1950s. As a paragon of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, AA clinical practice and basic theoretic research have gained continuous improvement and progress, and obtained a series of outstanding achievements in the past 60 years. Consequently, the theory of traditional Chinese medicine was enriched, and the acupuncture therapy was pushed forward to the world. The present paper reviews the course of formation and development of clinical application of AA from the late years of 1950s up to now, including the initial stage (1958-1966), rapid propulsion stage (1967-1979), consolidation period (1980-2004) and newly developing period (2005-now). The AA has experienced flexural pathway from simple acupuncture analgesia, to acupuncture-drug compound anesthesia (or acupuncture-assisted anesthesia), and to the application of whole perioperative period. Nowadays, it keeps unceasing development and innovation from simple analgesia and sedation to organ protection during perioperative period and reduction of post-operative complications. The AA possesses unique prosperous vitality, and also has a plenty room for improvement, being worthy of further popularization and research.

Coronary arteriography under acupuncture anesthesia: a case report

Acupuncture anesthesia is a technique by partially or completely replacing anesthetics with acupuncture in surgery based on the traditional acupuncture analgesia mechanism. It emerged in the 1950s, went viral in the 1970s and then gradually fell into decline. In the recent years, this technique has regained attention and further research. Acupuncture anesthesia can be classified as either pure acupuncture anesthesia or acupuncture-medication combined anesthesia. To expand the application of this technique, a patient with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome in urgent need of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) received pure acupuncture anesthesia because of an allergy to lidocaine, and the operation went successfully. This is the first time that pure acupuncture anesthesia and coronary arteriography were combined, which is of great significance in further study and development of acupuncture anesthesia.

Nixon and Scheel in China: Acupuncture and Anesthesia in West and East Germany in the 1970s and 1980s

BackgroundAcupuncture anesthesia was used instead of intubation anesthesia in the 1970s and 1980s in West Germany and West Berlin. In East Germany acupuncture played no decisive role. SourcesDifferent articles and papers in journals, in daily press, statements of contemporary witnesses, films, records in archives. ResultsAs in other Western countries, acupuncture was hugely popular in the Federal Republic of Germany in the 1970s. Chief triggers were the state visits to China of the American President Richard Nixon in 1972 and shortly thereafter of West German Foreign Minister Walter Scheel and his wife Mildred, an x-ray technician. During that period observation of an operation under acupuncture anesthesia was an obligatory element in the agenda of a foreign delegation.Following this showcasing, acupuncture was widely adopted in Western surgery as an alternative to the previously exclusive employment of intubation anesthesia. While the alternative method was soon abandoned in the frontline city of West Berlin, it continued to prevail in other West German cities, e.g. Gießen and Munich. Following the Chinese example, the acupuncture effect was normally enhanced electrically.In accordance with the animosity between the USSR and the People’s Republic of China, exchange between the German Democratic Republic and China was very restricted through the late 1980s. This made it easier for East German acupuncture sceptics to reject the procedure and brand it as unscientific. Those who advocated it were in a precarious position. ConclusionsAcupuncture was lauded in the West as ancient savvy destined to complement science-oriented medicine. However, the cultural transfer which accompanied the spread of acupuncture was flawed by misunderstanding and misguidance.Acupuncture anesthesia instead of intubation was not practiced in the GDR. Acceptance of acupuncture in East German medicine failed to make any headway until the last few years of the country’s existence.

Advances in clinical application of acupuncture therapy during perioperative period

Background In the past 50 years, acupuncture therapy has triggered a great interest among researchers both in China and in other countries. Both the acupuncture anesthesia and acupuncture-assisted anesthesia have been widely used in the perioperative period and received wide attention. Objective To review the clinical application of acupuncture therapy in the perioperative period. Content A review of the application and progress of acupuncture in the perioperative period. Trend At present, the application of acupuncture therapy in the perioperative period is still limited. But with the development of acupuncture research, acupuncture therapy will be combined with modern perioperative medicine better. Thus, acupuncture therapy will be widely recognized. Key words: Acupuncture therapy; Perioperative complications; Perioperative period

The Acupuncture Anesthesia of He Gu (LI-4), Nei Guan (P-6), Bi Nao (LI-14) and Jian Liao (TB-14) Reduce Demand for General Anesthetics on the Modified Radical Mastectomy

The Acupuncture Anesthesia of He Gu (LI-4), Nei Guan (P-6), Bi Nao (LI-14) and Jian Liao (TB-14) Reduce Demand for General Anesthetics on the Modified Radical Mastectomy

The influence of perioperative immune function and postoperative nausea and vomiting of different intervention time of general anesthesia acupuncture intervention in the patients with laparoscopic surgery

Objective To explore the influence of perioperative immune function and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) of different intervention time of general anesthesia acupuncture intervention in the patients with laparoscopic surgery. Methods According to random number table method, 104 patients with laparoscopic surgery using general anesthesia from October 2015 to December 2016 in our hospital were divided into A, B, C, D group with 26 patients in each group. All patients were treated with tracheal intubation anesthesia. Patients in group A (acupuncture half an hour before anesthesia), group B (acupuncture in the surgery), group C (acupuncture after the end of the surgery) and group D (without acupuncture). The levels of T lymphocyte subsets, including total T lymphocytes (CD3+), T helper cells (CD4+) and T suppressor cell (CD8+), and the CD4+/CD8+, were detected at half an hour before anesthesia induction (T0), the end of surgery (T1), postoperative day 1 (T2) and postoperative day 3 (T3). At the same time, the levels of IgA, IgM and IgG were calculated by suspension method. In addition, the occurrence and score of PONV were observed in postoperative 6h (T4), 12h after surgery (T5) and 48h after surgery (T6). The occurrence of adverse reactions was observed postoperative 1 week. Results The various immune index at T3 CD3+ (62.12% ± 8.37% vs. 58.15% ± 3.92%, 57.15% ± 7.83%, 55.32% ± 7.66%, F=132.238), CD4+ (37.99% ± 6.92% vs. 34.03% ± 6.32%, 34.00% ± 6.49%, 33.85% ± 6.73%, F=2.794), CD8+ (25.07% ± 5.06% vs. 22.89% ± 1.32%, 22.91% ± 1.24%, 22.78% ± 1.75%, F=2.849), CD4+/CD8+ (1.30 ± 0.34 vs. 1.27 ± 0.34, 1.29 ± 0.31, 1.25 ± 0.27, F=5.413), IgA (151.15 ± 36.83 IU/ml vs. 135.24 ± 15.17 IU/ml, 135.16 ± 16.09 IU/ml, 132.05 ± 17.37 IU/ml, F=3.044), IgM (169.35 ± 53.69 IU/ml vs. 146.26 ± 23.06 IU/ml, 145.73 ± 24.66 IU/ml, 143.12 ± 21.43 IU/ml, F=2.839), IgG 131.89 ± 28.13 IU/ml vs. 118.88 ± 15.35 IU/ml, 116.92 ± 20.25 IU/ml, 115.06 ± 20.55 IU/ml, F=3.165)] in the group A were significantly higher than those in the other three groups (P<0.05); Meanwhile the PONV score of patients in group A at T5 (1.76 ± 0.24 vs. 1.98 ± 0.31, 1.96 ± 0.37, 2.09 ± 0.33, F=4.918) were significantly lower than that in the other three groups (P<0.05); the PONV score of patients in group A at T6 (1.33 ± 0.36 vs. 1.52 ± 0.26, 1.54 ± 0.28, 1.73 ± 0.35 , F=6.984) were significantly lower than that in the other three groups (P<0.05); The incidence of adverse events in group A [11.5%(3/26) vs. 38.5% (10/26), χ2=5.026] was lower than that in group D (P<0.05). Conclusions Preoperative acupuncture can effectively improve immunosuppressive state of patients with laparoscopic surgery during general anesthesia perioperative, and reduce the incidence of PONV and PONV score. Key words: Acupuncture; Anesthesia, General; Laparoscopes; Chronomedicine; Perioperative period; Immune function; Postoperative nausea and vomiting

Effects of tooth extraction under acupuncture anesthesia

To compare the effects for tooth extraction between acupuncture anesthesia and drug local block anesthesia. Sixty patients were randomly assigned into an acupuncture group and a drug group, 30 cases in each one. Acupuncture was applied at Hegu (LI 4), Neiting (ST 44) and the affected side Xiaguan (ST 7), and Jiache (ST 6), etc. Arrachement was used after deqi and the needles were retained for 10 min after tooth extraction in the acupuncture group. Compound articaine hydrochloride injection was used to conventional local anesthesia, after which tooth extraction was implemented in the drug group. The effects of anesthesia and analgesia were compared between the two groups with pain rating index (PRI) and visual analogue scale (VAS). Besides, the bleeding amounts and adverse reaction rates during the operation and the blood pressure, pulse, and respiration before and after operation were observed. Tooth extraction was completed, and the excellent rates, PRI and VAS scores were not significantly different in the two groups (all P>0.05). The bleeding amounts and adverse reaction rates in the acupuncture group were lower than those in the drug group (P<0.01, P<0.05).The blood pressure, pulse and respiratory during surgery remained normal without significance between the two groups (all P>0.05). The effect of acupuncture anesthesia for tooth extraction is equal to that of drug anesthesia. Its analgesia is complete with stable vital signs and less adverse reactions. It is worthy of popularizing.

Unforgettable Ups and Downs of Acupuncture Anesthesia in China.

Acupuncture anesthesia originated from the pain relief and pain prevention theory in acupuncture and moxibustion. This technique is a new exploration of anesthesiology and an original achievement of China, representing a landmark combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine. The aim of this historical vignette to introduce acupuncture anesthesia with its meaningful history, especially the use in neurosurgery to the public. This historical vignette introduced the development, mechanism research, awake craniotomy, in order to analyze the utility of acupuncture anesthesia, its global impact, the current situation and future of acupuncture anesthesia. Acupuncture anesthesia was initiated in 1958, and, reflecting the historical background of China after the 1960s, the use of this technique spread widely throughout the country. Reaching other countries after 1971, acupuncture anesthesia had a significant influence, drawing attention from medical academia worldwide. Thus, acupuncture anesthesia has made a special contribution to the medical science of modern China.

Electroacupuncture-Assisted Craniotomy on an Awake Patient

Although acupuncture has existed for over 2000 years, its application as an anesthetic aid began in the 1950s in China. The first surgical procedure performed under acupuncture anesthesia was a tonsillectomy. Soon thereafter, major and minor surgical procedures took place with electroacupuncture alone providing the anesthesia. The procedures performed were diverse, ranging from cardiothoracic surgery to dental extractions. Usage of acupuncture anesthesia, specifically in neurosurgery, has been well documented in hospitals across China, especially in Beijing, dating back to the 1970s. We present a case of a 65-year-old man who presented with right-sided body weakness. He had a past medical history of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea requiring use of a nasal continuous positive airway pressure device during sleep. We performed a computed tomography brain scan, which revealed a left-sided acute on chronic subdural hemorrhage. Due to his multiple comorbidities, we decided to perform the surgical procedure under electroacupuncture anesthesia. The aim of this case report is to describe a craniotomy performed under electroacupuncture on an elderly patient with multiple comorbidities who was awake during the procedure and in whom this procedure, if it had been performed under general anesthesia, would have carried high risk.