The Effect of Acupoint Application on Postoperative Ileus

This study aims to verify the therapeutical effect and mechanism of acupoint application on postoperative ileus.

Postoperative ileus (POI) is a common disorder of gastrointestinal motility characterized by abdominal distension, nausea, vomiting and delayed passage of flatus or stool, which develops after every abdominal surgical procedure. POI increases risk of developing postoperative complications, decreases the bed turnover rate and prolongs the average duration of hospitalization, increasing the expense of both patients and hospitals. Although the Pathophysiological mechanism of POI remains unclear, recent researches suggests the inflammatory responses after surgery might be responsible for the gastrointestinal motility disorder. Acupoint application is a traditional chinese intervention which has been used in treating gastrointestinal motility disorder resulted from other causes. In this study, we aims to verify the therapeutical effect and mechanism of acupoint application on postoperative ileus.