ACUPRESSURE TREATMENT FOR PREVENTION OF POSTOPERATIVE NAUSEA AND VOMITING

Postoperative: nausea and vomiting are still common problems after gen eral anesthesia, especially in ambulatory surgery. Drug therapy is oft en complicated with central nervous system symptoms. We studied a nonp harmacological method of therapy-acupressure-at the Pericardium 6 (P.6 ) (Nei-Guan) meridian point. Two hundred consecutive healthy patients undergoing a:variety of short surgical procedures were included in a r andomized, double-blind study: 108 patients were in the acupressure gr oup (Group 1) and 92 patients were in the control group (Group 2). Sph erical beads of acupressure bands were placed at the P.6 points in the anterior surface of both forearms in Group 1 patients, while in Group 2 they were placed inappropriately on the posterior surface. The acup ressure bands were placed before induction of anesthesia and were remo ved 6 h postoperatively. They were covered with a soft cotton wrapping to conceal them from the blinded observer who evaluated the patients for presence of nausea and vomiting and checked the order sheet for an y antiemetics prescribed. In both groups, the age, gender, height, wei ght, and type and duration of surgical procedures were all comparable without significant statistical difference. In Group 1, only 25 of 108 patients (23%) had nausea and vomiting as compared to Group 2, in whi ch 38 of 92 patients (41%) had nausea and vomiting (P = 0.0058). We co ncluded that acupressure at the P.6 (Nei-Guan) point is an effective p rophylaxis for postsurgical nausea and vomiting and therefore a good a lternative to conventional antiemetic treatment.