Acupuncture prevents delayed gastric emptying after pancreatoduodenectomy

Objective To study the role of acupuncture in preventing delayed gastric emptying (DGE) after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). Methods Sixty-seven patients who underwent PD in our hospital from October 2012 to August 2013 were randomly divided into control group (n=30) and acupuncture treatment group (n=37). Patients in acupuncture treatment group received acupuncture treatment on day 1 after surgery for 10 days and those in control group received expectant treatment. The incidence of DGE and defecation and exsufflation time in two groups were recorded. Results The incidence of DGE was significantly lower in acupuncture treatment group than in control group (8.1% vs 26.7%, χ²=4.158, P=0.041). Significant difference was found in defecation and exsufflation time between the tow groups (4.8±1.02 d vs 5.7±1.29 d, t=3.19, P=0.002). Conclusion Acupuncture can significantly reduce the incidence of DGE and shorten the defecation and exsufflation time after PD.