Study: Acupuncture May Be Better Than Drugs in Reducing Nausea After Mastectomies

Acupuncture may be more effective than drugs in reducing nausea and vomiting as well as pain after major breast surgery, according to researchers at Duke University Medical Center.

Major breast surgery includes mastectomy, breast augmentation or reduction. Acupuncture is considerably less expensive and has considerably fewer side effects than antiemetic drugs currently used to combat nausea and vomiting post-surgically.

"Up to 70 percent of women who undergo major breast surgery experience significant postoperative nausea and vomiting, so it is an important medical issue," reported Dr. Tong Joo Gan, Duke anesthesiologist and lead investigator.

"We've known from previous studies that acupuncture can be an effective antimetic when compared to placebo, but it has never been tested against one of the most commonly used medications ondansetron (Zofran)," reported Gan.

"Acupuncture turns out to be just as effective as the drug or better, and our patients also reported much less pain after surgery, a finding that surprised us."

Gan presented the results of the study at the annual scientific sessions of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

Researchers enrolled 40 women who were undergoing major breast surgery and needing general anesthesia. The surgeries lasted between two and four hours, and most of the women were discharged the following day.

The women were divided equally into three groups: one group received acupuncture before the surgery, one received ondansetron prior to surgery and one received a placebo.

Researchers found that two hours following surgery, 23 percent of the women receiving acupuncture reported nausea, compared to 36 percent who received ondansetron and 69 percent who received a placebo.

After 24 hours, 38 percent of the acupuncture patients reported nausea, compared to 57 percent who took the drug and 61 percent who took a placebo.

Seven percent of the women receiving acupuncture reporting vomiting two hours after surgery, compared to 7 percent who received ondansetron and 23 percent who were given a placebo.

After 24 hours, 23 percent of acupuncture patients reporting vomiting, compared to 28 percent given ondansetron and 46 given a placebo.

"We were most surprised by the level of pain reported by women, with 31 percent of acupuncture patients reporting moderate to severe pain two hours after surgery, compared to 64 percent for ondansetron and 77 percent for placebo," said Gan.

Researchers used electroacupuncture for the study, which uses an electrode at the appropriate body point. Instead of actually breaking the skin with a long needle, electroacupuncture delivers a small electrical pulse through the skin.

"Electroacupuncture enhances or heightens the effects of traditional acupuncture," said Gan. "In China, when acupuncture is used during surgery for pain relief, they commonly use electroacupuncture devices."

The Duke trial will continue, with results used to apply to the National Institutes of Health for a larger clinical trial. Researchers are also studying the effectives of acupuncture used in conjunction with antiemetic drugs to see if the combination of therapies has greater effectiveness than each used alone.

Other Sources: Duke University