# Impact of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on postoperative recovery in older adults following pterygium excision: a prospective randomized controlled trial

## TL;DR

This study found that transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation improved recovery and reduced pain and anxiety after pterygium surgery in older adults.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is demonstrating TEAS's effectiveness in enhancing postoperative recovery in older patients undergoing pterygium excision.

## Key findings

- TEAS significantly improved Quality of Recovery-40 scores at 24 hours post-surgery.
- Patients in the TEAS group had lower pain and anxiety scores compared to the control group.
- TEAS was safe and feasible to apply during the perioperative period.

## Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) during the perioperative period on the quality of postoperative recovery among patients undergoing pterygium excision.

A total of 110 patients scheduled for unilateral pterygium excision were enrolled and randomly assigned in equal numbers to the TEAS group or the control group. In the TEAS group, patients received TEAS at the LI4 and PC6 acupoints, initiated 30 min before anesthesia induction and continued until the conclusion of surgery. In the control group, patients had electrode pads applied without active stimulation. Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) scores, State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (S-TAI) scores, and Quality of Recovery-40 Questionnaire (QoR-40) scores were collected from both groups.

No statistically significant differences were observed in baseline demographic and clinical characteristics between the two groups. At 24 h postoperatively, patients in the TEAS group demonstrated significantly higher QoR-40 scores and significantly lower NRS pain scores and postoperative SAI scores compared to the control group.

TEAS was effective in reducing postoperative pain and anxiety levels while enhancing the quality of postoperative recovery in patients undergoing pterygium surgery.

https://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2200056062.