Effects of P6 acustimulation with the ReliefBand on postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing gynecological laparoscopy.

Abstract

We investigated the effects of P6 acustimulation on the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), antiemetic requirements, and side effects in patients undergoing gynecological laparoscopy with a high risk of PONV. Sixty-two patients were divided into 2 groups randomly: a ReliefBand group (RB group) and a sham ReliefBand group (S group). The P6 acustimulation device (ReliefBand Medical Technologies LLC, Chicago, Illinois) was wrapped around the wrists of the patients 15 to 30 minutes before the operation and activated before the induction of anesthesia. The patients' hemodynamic parameters, nausea scale (verbal rating scale), pain scale (visual analogue scale), PONV score, rescue antiemetics, analgesic requirements, adverse effects, and satisfaction scores in the first 24 hours were recorded. The verbal rating scale scores in the early postoperative period and 6 hours postoperatively were significantly higher in the RB group than in the S group. The PONV scores at 15 minutes and at 6 and 12 hours postoperatively were significantly higher in the S group than in the RB group. The verbal rating scale scores of the patients with higher Apfel risk scores (3 or 4 points) in the early postoperative period and 6 hours postoperatively were significantly lower in the RB group than in the S group. The PONV scores of the patients with high Apfel risk scores at 15 minutes and at 6 and 12 hours postoperatively were significantly lower in the RB group than in the S group. The number of patients and doses of antiemetics required were significantly lower in the RB group than in the S group. Patient satisfaction scores were significantly higher in the RB group than in the S group. Acustimulation with the P6 ReliefBand decreased the severity of nausea, PONV scores, and antiemetic requirements in the early postoperative period of gynecological laparoscopy patients.