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Volume 2, Issue 5 (Suppl) Breast Can Curr Res, an open access journal Breast Cancer Congress 2017
October 16-18, 2017
6th World Congress on
October 16-18, 2017 | San Francisco, USA
Breast Cancer & Therapy
Intraoperative electrical stimulation of the acupoints P6 to prevent post-operative nausea and vomiting in
women undergoing breast cancer surgery
S ince 1600 BCE, acupuncture has been a respected Chinese medicine, and is still in use today. By stimulating energy channels
throughout the body, known as meridians, an imbalance of qi can be corrected. Such imbalance is said to cause disease.
Acupuncture points can be stimulated invasively with needles, “acupuncture”, or non-invasively, “acupressure” using physical
pressure applied by the hand, elbow, or with various devices, including low amperage nerve stimulators. Current scientific
research indicates that stimulation of meridian point P6 is more effective than placebos in the relief of certain types of post-
operative nausea/vomiting (PONV). The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after general anesthesia is
up to 30% when inhalational anesthetics are used with no prophylaxis. This makes PONV one of the most common complaints
following surgery under general anesthesia, together with postoperative pain. The relevant risk factors include: female sex,
nonsmoker status, prior history of PONV, motion sickness, use of opioids preoperatively, use of inhalational anesthetics, and
type of surgery, particularly breast surgery. Consequences of PONV include dehydration, prolonged recovery, admission,
increased cost, impaired surgical recovery, and lower satisfaction. Studies have shown that the stimulation of the P6 has the
capacity to lower PONV rates. Acupuncture's use for certain conditions has been endorsed by the United States National
Institutes of Health, the National Health Service of the United Kingdom, the World Health Organization, and the National
Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. By utilizing acustimulation at P6 in patients who are at risk for PONV,
we were better at preventing PONV. Utilization of this globally approved technique can significantly decrease PONV, impact
hospital stay, and contribute to greater patient satisfaction.
Biography
Alicia M Kowalski has obtained her undergraduate degree from Rice University, and her MD from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, Texas.
She has dedicated her entire career to the cancer patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center, and has risen through all ranks of faculty to Professor. She serves as the
Chair of the GME Wellness and Career Sustainability Committee, and Co-Chair of the Faculty Wellness Committee. She has lectured nationally and internationally,
and has published more than 30 papers in peer reviewed journals.
Alicia M Kowalski
University of Texas, USA
Alicia M Kowalski, Breast Can Curr Res 2017, 2:5 (Suppl)
DOI: 10.4172/2572-4118-C1-010