The efficacy of foot acupoint massage combined with medium-frequency electrical stimulation in enhancing gastrointestinal function recovery after colorectal cancer surgery

Gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction is a common complication after colorectal cancer surgery, often leading to prolonged hospitalization and reduced quality of life. This study aims to evaluate the impact of combining foot acupoint massage (FAM) and medium-frequency electrical stimulation (MFES) on the recovery of GI function after colorectal tumor surgery. A total of 135 patients were retrospectively categorized into 3 groups according to the nursing interventions recorded in their medical records: the control group (routine care), the FAM group (routine care + FAM), and the FAM/MFES group (routine care + FAM + MFES), with 45 patients in each group. The primary outcomes included postoperative pain (Visual Analog Scale score), time to first flatus, time to first bowel movement, time for bowel sounds to return, time to resume normal diet, abdominal distension score, and the incidence of postoperative ileus. Compared with the other 2 groups, the FAM/MFES group showed superior results in postoperative pain, time to first flatus, time to first bowel movement, time for bowel sounds to return, and time to resume normal diet (P < .05). The abdominal distension score was also significantly lower in the FAM/MFES group (P = .016). However, there was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative ileus between the groups (P = .240). The combination of FAM and MFES significantly promotes GI function recovery after colorectal surgery, providing a promising adjunctive treatment approach for postoperative care.