Benefit of Acupuncture Combined to Regional Analgesia for Post Operative Pain Relief After Hysterectomy

quality of pain relief

Since the 90's, the quality of the post operative pain relief is a main concern in most of
 the healthcare systems in the world. An efficient pain relief improves the quality of
 recovery after surgery [Level 1A], reduces the risk of persistent pain [level 1A] and makes
 the patients satisfied.
 
 Continuous regional anesthesia/analgesia promotes a level 1A in quality of postoperative pain
 relief, reduction in opioids consumption in opioid sparing/free analgesia programs, time to
 recover and the reduction of hospital stay. However in the postoperative period, breakthrough
 pain episodes due to mobilization or activity are not well covered by regional analgesia.
 Furthermore, after removal of the catheter of regional anesthesia, patients may face an
 unpleasant rebound pain effect.
 
 At VinMec, the technique of regional anesthesia chosen to provide regional analgesia after
 hysterectomy is a bilateral erector spinae plane block .
 
 Traditional Medicine relieves pain by non-pharmacological methods, especially by acupuncture
 which bring positive results. Acupuncture has been proven to provide pain relief according to
 the mechanism of traditional and modern medicine, safe for patients and with few side
 effects. The acupunture point formula is used by VinMec Sao Phuong Dong Traditional Medicine
 Center in conjunction with the department of Anesthesiology and Pain management in VinMec
 Times City International General Hospital to relieve pain after hysterectomy including: Three
 Yin Intersection (SP-6), Leg Three Miles (ST-36), Taichong (LR-3), Xuehai (SP-10).
 
 The study is to observe the effect of combining acupuncture with regional anesthesia on pain
 relief and postoperative recovery in patients undergoing hysterectomy.
 
 There is no published study regarding the effects of combining the 2 techniques above as
 multimodal approach for post operative analgesia after hysterectomy.