The Efficacy of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation as an Adjunct to Standard Bladder Training for Bladder Emptying After Radical Hysterectomy for Cervical Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial

After radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer, postoperative bladder dysfunction is common. This randomized controlled trial evaluated whether adjunctive transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) reduces urinary retention. A total of 108 patients were assigned to a control group (standard bladder training, n = 53) or a TEAS group (standard training plus daily 30 min TEAS for 7 days from postoperative day 3, n = 55). The primary outcome was urinary retention (post-void residual > 100 mL on day 11). Secondary outcomes included residual volume, recovery time, recatheterization, urinary tract infection (UTI), treatment efficacy, and quality of life (SF-36). Urinary retention occurred in 35.8% of controls versus 23.6% of TEAS patients (p = 0.164). TEAS significantly reduced median residual volume (70 vs. 85 mL, p = 0.004), shortened median recovery time (2 vs. 4 h, p < 0.001), and lowered recatheterization (16.4% vs. 34.0%, p = 0.036). UTI rates were similar. Treatment efficacy favored TEAS (p = 0.009), and all eight SF-36 domains significantly improved (all p < 0.01). In conclusion, adjunctive TEAS did not significantly reduce the primary outcome of urinary retention but significantly improved multiple secondary bladder-emptying measures and quality of life after radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer.