[Role of acupuncture anesthesia in operation of rectal cancer].

Objective: To observe analgesic effect of acupuncture anesthesia.
Methods: Sixty-nine cases undergoing rectal cancer surgery were randomly divided into 3 groups, group I, II and III, 23 cases in each group. Both Zusanli (ST 36) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) were selected for acupuncture anesthesia. Group I received general anesthesia after acupuncture induction, group II received acupuncture after general anesthesia, and group II received only general anesthesia. Minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) before and after operation was recorded.
Results: MAC was (1.35 +/- 0.19) vol% in the group I, (1.49 +/- 0.22) vol% in the group II and (1.64 +/- 0.27) vol% in the group III. Acupuncture before and after general anesthesia could decrease respectively by about 0.29% and 0.15% of MAC in rectal cancer surgery undergoing general anesthesia, with a very significant difference (P < 0.01) or a significant difference (P < 0.05) among the 3 groups.
Conclusion: Acupuncture anesthesia has a certain adjuvant action for anesthesia and analgesia, and acupuncture before general anesthesia has a better action.