Effects of auricular acupressure on pain reduction in patient-controlled analgesia after lumbar spine surgery.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the adjuvant effects of auricular acupres-sure in augmenting intravenous patient-controlled analgesia with morphine and droperidol for postoperative lumbar surgery patients in terms of postoperative pain relief satisfaction, and the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV).

METHODS: In this single-blind experimental study, 94 subjects were randomly assigned to the experimental group in which patients received auricular acupressure to six auricular acupoints or a control group without acupressure. Data were collected using the American Pain Society Patient Outcome Questionnaire. Descriptive analyses, t tests, chi(2) tests, Mann-Whitney tests, and the generalized estimating equation model were used.

RESULTS: The experimental group had lower average pain scores than the control group, but no between-group difference was found. Analgesic dose and satisfaction were similar in both groups. The incidence of PONV was low and similar in both groups.

CONCLUSION: Although this study did not demonstrate adjuvant effects of auricular acupressure on postoperative pain, analgesic dose, analgesic satisfaction and PONV, most subjects were satisfied with the pain management even though they were subjected to moderate pain because of insufficient analgesia. Further studies should reconfirm the effects of auricular acupressure on analgesia provided by intravenous patient-controlled analgesia in postoperative patients, and its influence on the frequency and duration of analgesia administration.

2010 Taiwan Society of Anesthesiologists. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.