Application effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation combined with propofol in painless gastrointestinal endoscopy

Objective To investigate the application effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with propofol in painless gastrointestinal endoscopy. Methods A total of 105 patients who underwent gastrointestinal endoscopy were randomly divided into propofol+fentanyl group (P+F group), propofol+TEAS group (P+T group), and propofol+placebo-TEAS group (P+P group), with 35 patients in each group. All patients were induced to deep sedation by the anesthesiologist using propofol before gastroscopy; the patients in the P+F group were given intravenously injected fentanyl 50 μg before gastroscopy, those in the P+T group received placement of electrodes at the acupoints at 30 minutes before examination and were given electrical stimulation till the end of the examination, and those in the P+P group received placement of electrodes at the acupoints alone without electrical stimulation. The patients were recorded in terms of pain score and the amount of propofol used du-ring examination, the time to recovery from anesthesia after examination, and the incidence rate of adverse reactions during or after examination, as well as the degree of satisfaction among patients and physicians. Results Compared with the P+P group, the P+F and P+T groups had a significant reduction in pain score (H=23.16,P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence rate of hypoxemia between the P+F group and the other two groups (P>0.05), while the P+F group had significantly higher degrees of vertigo, nausea, and vomiting than the other two groups (H=40.97-44.79,P<0.05). Compared with the P+T and P+P groups, the P+F group had a significantly lower degree of satisfaction among the patients (H=21.80,P<0.05), and compared with the P+F and P+T groups, the P+P group had a significantly lower degree of satisfaction among the physicians (H=58.30,P<0.05). Conclusion TEAS combined with propofol can provide satisfactory sedation in gastrointestinal endoscopy and inhibit the discomfort caused by gastrointestinal endoscopy, and under the premise of ensuring the degree of satisfaction among patients, it can reduce the adverse reactions such as nausea and vertigo after examination caused by opioids.