Acupuncture for perioperative pain after prostatectomy

What is it about?

This study evaluated the benefits of adding acupuncture to standard postoperative pain management for open radical prostatectomy (RP). A randomized controlled trial was conducted comparing routine postoperative analgesic care (control) vs the addition of press tack needle acupuncture (ACU) or press tack placebo acupressure (SHAM) for pain management after open RP. The ACU group reported significantly less postoperative pain compared to the SHAM (P = 0.007) and CON groups (P = 0.02). Incorporating acupuncture into postoperative pain management can improve patient postoperative outcomes. The study concluded that the integration of acupuncture into the landscape of robot-assisted procedures represents an interesting field of research that should be investigated in future studies.

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Why is it important?

This research is important as it evaluates the benefits of adding acupuncture to standard postoperative pain management for open radical prostatectomy (RP). By demonstrating that the use of acupuncture as an adjunct to standard analgesia can significantly reduce postoperative pain, this study provides valuable information on optimizing pain management after RP. Effective pain control not only contributes to the patient's comfort but also to early mobilization, reduction in complications, and improvement in overall recovery outcomes. Additionally, this research helps address the unmet need for implementing multimodal analgesia and reducing reliance on opioids for postoperative pain management. Key Takeaways: 1. Acupuncture with press tack needles as an adjunct to standard analgesia can significantly reduce postoperative pain in patients undergoing open RP. 2. The ACU group had statistically significantly lower levels of postoperative pain compared to the SHAM and CON groups. 3. The external stimulus provided by acupuncture, such as the penetration of a needle into the skin, may activate mast cells located along hair follicles, blood vessels, nerves, and adipose tissue, ultimately initiating a cascade of signals through peripheral nerve endings to the spinal cord, resulting in the desired analgesic effect.